












































COFURICHT DEPOSm 























BIG BOOK 
OF BOYS 
HOBBIES 


HANDICRAFT BOOKS 

BY 

A. NEELY HALL 


8vo. Cloth. Illustrated zvith hundreds of full-page 
and zvorking drazvings by the author 
and N'orman P. Hall 


THE BOY CRAFTSMAN 
HANDICRAFT FOR HANDY BOYS 
THE HANDY BOY 

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS 
HANDICRAFT FOR HANDY GIRLS 
CARPENTRY AND MECHANICS FOR BOYS 
HOME-MADE GAMES AND GAME EQUIPMENT 
OUTDOOR BOY CRAFTSMEN 
BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON 







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BIG BOOK 
OF BOYS' 
HOBBIES 

New Thi^s lb Make and 
New Things To Do 

^rA^eelyHall ■ 

Author of “Tttc Boy Craftsman* 

^ “Handicraft for Handy Boys" 
Handicraft: for Handy Girls" 
*HomeMada Toysfor Girls and Boys" 
"Home-Made Games and Game Equipment" 

The Handy Boy 

“Carpentry and Mechanics for Boys" 
“OutdoorBoy CraftsmerCEtc. 

With eioht hiindred illustrations 
and working drawings by the author 






























































































. HI £ 


Copyright, 1929 

By Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co.'*' 
All Rights Reserved 
Big Book or Boys’ Hobbies 



Printed in U. S. A. 


DEG 11 


©CIA 

i329 i 


17319 -j 


V 




From Hobbies, Big Ideas Grow. 


PREFACE 

At a recent convention, one hundred delegates from lead¬ 
ing American industries and colleges went on record as 
agreeing that creative ability, intellectual honesty, observa¬ 
tion, and enthusiasm should be placed on a par with book 
learning. Genius is the order of the day,’’ said Dr. Delton 
T. Howard, professor of psychology at Northwestern Uni¬ 
versity. “The advance of science depends upon original 
thinking. It used to be that the mind with the greatest 
storehouse capacity, or the fastest calculating ability, was 
considered the most distinguished. But knowledge has be¬ 
come so vast and so technical that the encyclopedia and the 
library have taken the place of the ^ know-it-all ’ mind, and 
the adding machine and similar machines have removed the 
need for the calculating expert. A good scholastic record 
is important, but the devising of an improved method of 
keeping a football score, or a new way of carrying out ashes 
without getting dust on the family washing, is just as 
important.” 

Dr. Howard’s theory stresses the value of hobbies, for a 
boy’s individual effort along the lines in which he is most 
interested will develop his creative ability to a greater ex¬ 
tent than any other agency. 

We do not have to look farther than Thomas A. Edison 
for an example of genius brought to light and developed by 
hobbies. He has told of the home laboratory that he 
equipped at the age of ten, of his ceaseless experiments in 


VI 


PREFACE 


chemistry and electricity in his early teens, of his home¬ 
made telegraph outfits, of the newspaper that he printed 
and published while employed as newsboy on a railroad, 
and how he spent every penny that he could earn and save, 
in the development of his ideas. Recalling these experi¬ 
ences of his youth, he has said, I did not know at the start 
what I wanted to do. I might have remained in that state 
of mind for years, as many boys foolishly do, if I had not 
cultivated the determination to find out as quickly as pos¬ 
sible what I was fitted for.’^ And speaking of a boy^s 
chance for success, he has said, “ I would advise every youth 
not to put off too long before he makes an effort to discover 
what he is fit to do. Begin at as early an age as possible, 
and dig, dig, until the discovery is made.^’ Boys have an¬ 
other champion of their hobbies in Henry Ford, who has 
said, boy’s job is to prepare himself with training, 
knowledge and experience. If I were bringing up a boy 
to-day, I would see to it that he had a shop in which he 
could work with tools.” 

Big Book of Boys’ Hobbies has been prepared to provide 
a large variety of ideas of interest to boys. Following the 
trend of the times, a generous section of the book has been 
devoted to the latest types of model airplanes—indoor and 
outdoor models, '‘flying sticks,” flying models that look 
like real ships, and scale models. The subject of model air¬ 
planes has had a large following since the first flight by the 
Wright brothers, but every boy has taken up the hobby 
since the transatlantic flight of Colonel Lindbergh, it would 
seem, from the demand for plans and material-kits. As an 


PREFACE 


Vll 

instance of the demand from one source, the author has 
personally superintended the cutting of balsa sticks for 
more than ten thousand models supplied to his readers. 

There are plans in this book, also, for galleons, yachts, 
and other non-sailing models, interest in which is second 
only to that in model airplanes, and whatever the boy’s 
other preferences may be he will probably find them among 
the fifty-one chapters. 

This material has been selected from the author’s articles 
published in his departments in Modern Mechanics, The 
American Boy, Child Life, Youth's World, The Pioneer, 
The Target, Boyland, The Haversack, Boy's Comrade, 
Boy Life, The Boy's Friend, Penn-Weekly, and Hi-Way, 
from his articles published in Popular Science Monthly, 
Boy's World, Open Road for Boys, The Ladies' Home 
Journal, and Woman's Home Companion, and from his 
articles syndicated to newspapers and weeklies. 

Since he has lived with this sort of work for many years, 
the author has had the satisfaction of watching the de¬ 
velopment of genius in his readers that has resulted in suc¬ 
cessful careers, and he is confident that the contents of 
Big Book of Boys’ Hobbies will bring about helpful reac¬ 
tions. No boy will have time to make and do all the things 
described, but since the material has been organized into a 
program of winter, spring, summer, and autumn hobbies, 
he will find enough to keep him busy from one end of the 

year to the other. ^ Neely Hall. 


October 21, 1929, 




PART I 

WINTER HOBBIES 

CHAPTER I 

PAGE 

A Hobby Club. 1 

Organizing a Club — Choosing Club Members — The Club^s 
Purpose — An Organization Meeting — The Officers — The 
Club Workshop — The Clubroom — The Club Library — Af¬ 
filiate With an Organization — Exhibitions, Contests and 
Races — Suggested Form for a Hobby Club Constitution. 

CHAPTER II 

A Model-Making Workshop. 8 

Location of the Workshop — An Outside Shop — A Shop 
in a Garage — A Porch Shop — A Basement Shop — A 
Home-made Work-bench — The Bench-vise — A Bench Stop 
— A Packing-box Work-bench — The Cupboards — The Vise 
— Other Shop Equipment — Name Your Shop. 

CHAPTER III 

Furnishing Your Room or a Clubroom .... 19 

The Furnishings — A Room in an Attic — Finishing an 
Attic Room — Wallboard — Storage Closets — A Window- 
seat— A Cabinet — A Shelf for Models — Cabinet Shelves 


IX 





















X 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

— Cabinet Doors — Box Files — A Folding Screen — Double¬ 
acting Brass Hinges — An Interesting Room and its Owner 
— Picture-frames — Other Suggestions. 

CHAPTER IV 

A Treasure-Chest with a Secret Lock .31 

A Box for the Chest — The Cover — The Hinges — 

The Secret Lock — Chest Handles — Painting — Finishing 
Touches. 


CHAPTER V 

Scrapbooks. 37 

An Aeronautics Scrapbook — A Sports Scrapbook — A 
Scrapbook of Scouting — Notebook Covers — Home-made 
Covers — Binder’s Board — Stock for Scrapbook Leaves — 
Assembly — Mounting Pictures and Articles — Classifying — 
Indexing — A Letter-file Scrapbook. 

CHAPTER VI 

Model Airplane Tools, Materials, and Tournaments . . 44 

The Tools Required — Adhesives — Cement — Acetone — 
Banana Oil — Airplane Dope — Framework Materials — 

Balsa — Bamboo — Covering Materials — Japanese Tissue- 
paper— Chinese Silk or Linen — Metal Fittings — Music- 
wire— Shaping the Wire — A Fishhook Bearing — A Needle 
— A Brad — Thrust-washers — A Wheel from a Glass- 
cutter — Landing-gear — Landing-gear Axles — Struts — 
Shaping Bamboo — A Razor-blade Knife — Motors — Rub¬ 
ber-strand Motors — Care of Motors — Material Kits — 
Model Airplane Tournaments — Rules and Regulations for 
Tournaments. 


CHAPTER VII 

An Indoor Duration Model Airplane. 59 

^ B. C. Friedman,* Expert Designer and Builder — A Success¬ 
ful Flying-stick ” Model — Materials — A Material Kit — 

The Wing — The Wing Tips — Ribs — Spars — To Assemble 
the Wing Frame — The Dihedral — To Paper the Wing — 

The Motor Base — The Stabilizer — The Rudder — Metal 
Fittings — The Propeller-bearing — The Rear Motor-hook — 



CONTENTS 


XI 


PAGE 

The S-hook — The Propeller-shaft — Thrust-washers — Wing- 
clips — The Propeller ~ The Blank — The Carving — Mount¬ 
ing the Propeller — Thrust-washers — The Motor — Tuning 
the Model — Launching the Model. 

CHAPTER VIII 

A Twin Pusher Model Airplane. 72 

A Practice Plane Built for Speed — Materials — A Ma¬ 
terial-kit— The Frame — The Longerons — The Braces — 
Metal Fittings — The Yoke — The Propeller-bearings — Four 
Cans — The Wing — The Dihedral — The Elevator — Two 
Dihedrals — Finishing — The Propellers — The Propeller- 
blanks— The Right-hand Propeller — The Left-hand Pro¬ 
peller — The Propeller-shafts — The Thrust-washers — The 
S-hooks — The Motors — A Propeller-winder — A Home¬ 
made Winder — Using the Winder — To Launch the Model. 

CHAPTER IX 

A Profile-Fuselage Model Airplane. 84 

A Model That Looks Like a Real Ship — Materials — A 
Material-kit — The Motor Base — The Fuselage — The Wing 
— The Ribs — Assembling the Wing — Covering the Wing — 

The Tail — The Stabilizer and Elevator — The Fin and Rud¬ 
der— Metal Fittings — The Propeller-bearing — A Needle 
Bearing — The Rear Motor Hook — The S-hook — The Pro¬ 
peller-shaft — Washers — Wire Hangers — Wing-clips — The 
Landing-gear — The Struts — The Wheels — The Wheel Axles 
— The Propeller — The Blank — Mounting the Propeller — 

The Motor — Tuning the Model — Finishing the Cabin. 

CHAPTER X 

A Low-Wing Profile-Fuselage Model Airplane ... 95 

A Model With the Low Wing of the Junkers Bremen Ship 
— Materials — A Material-kit — The Motor Base — The 
Fuselage — The Wing — The Spars — The Ribs — Assem¬ 
bling and Covering the Wing — The Tail — The Stabilizer 
and Elevator — Covering — Mounting — The Fin and Rud¬ 
der— Mounting and Covering — Metal Fittings — The Pro¬ 
peller-bearing— The Rear Motor-hook — Two Intermediate 
Hangers — The S-hook — The Propeller-shaft — Thrust- 
washers — Wing-clips — The Landing-gear — The Struts — 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The Axles — The Shock-absorbers — The Wheels — The Tail- 
skid — The Propeller — The Blank — Mounting the Propeller 
— The Motor — Tuning the Model — Finishing the Cabin. 

CHAPTER XI 

Scale Model Airplanes.106 

Difference Between Flying Models and Scale Models — A 
True Scale Model — Contest Scale Models — Sources of Data 
for Scale Models — Scale Drawings — The “Spirit of St. 

Louis ” Scale Model — The Fuselage — The Wing — The 
Stabilizer — Elevators, Fin and Rudder — The Landing-^ear 
— The Whirlwind Motor — The Propeller — Finishing the 
Model — The Curtiss Army Hawk Scale Model — The Fuse¬ 
lage— The Tail Group — The Wings — The Landing-gear — 

The Covering — Finishing the Hawk — Other Fitments — 

The Ford Tri-motor Cabin Monoplane — The Fuselage — The 
Wing — Use of Scale Models. 

CHAPTER XII 

A Galleon Ship Model.124 

The Hobby of Building Ship-models — The Materials — 

The Hull — The Keel Center-piece — The Bow — The Stem- 
piece— Three Bulkheads — The Main Deck — The Sides of 
the Hull — The Superstructure — The Decks — The Bul¬ 
warks — Doors and Windows, Panelling — The Stern Balcony 
Railing — Lanterns — Cannon — Painting — Rigging the Gal¬ 
leon— The Masts — The Bowsprit — The Yards — The 
Sails — The Rigging — A Base for Your Ship Model. 

CHAPTER XIII 

Installing a Radio.134 

The Aerial — The Aerial Supports — An Iron-pipe Mast — 

A Concrete Base — Assembling the Mast — Erecting the 
Mast — Slack in the Aerial Wire — Insulation of the Aerial 
— The Lead-in Wire — A Lightning Arrester — The Ground 
Wire — A Direct Ground. 

CHAPTER XIV 

A Winter Feeder for Birds. 141 

The Hanging Feeder — The Parts — The Center Compart¬ 
ment — The Wire Containers — Paint — Stocking the Feeder. 



CONTENTS 


Xlll 


PAGE 

CHAPTER XV 

Winter Sports Equipment.144 

Book References for Sports Equipment — An Ice Skatemo- 
bile — The Chassis — Attaching the Skate-runners — The 
Body — The Handle-bars — The Paint Job — A Barrel-stave 
Sled — The Seat — The Runners — A Foot-bar — A Rocker 
Coaster — A Pair of Rockers — Four Cross-bars — The Seat- 
boards — Barrel-stave Skis — A Small Skate-sail — The 
Frame-sticks — To Assemble the Frame — The Covering Ma¬ 
terial — Decorating the Sail — Sailing — An Ice-hockey Stick 
— Making the Sharp Bend — Another Way to Shape a Stick 
— Length of the Stick — The Shaft End — The Blade End — 
Finishing a Hockey Stick — Hollow-grinding Your Skates — 

A File Grinder — The File — The Holder — Assembling — A 
Vise Support — Skates to Grind — A Snow Totem-pole — A 
Tree-trunk Foundation — To Start a Totem-pole — Modelling 
Tools — Reinforcing Projections — Eyes and Ears — Adding 
Color — A Snowball SMeld — An Arm-and-hand Loop — 
Decorating the Shield. 


PART II 

SPRING HOBBIES 

CHAPTER XVI 

A Model Yacht . . . ..163 

Model-yacht Building Popular — Model-yacht Organiza¬ 
tions— Building Model-yachts with Dad—Your First Model- 
yacht — Larger Models;— Blueprints — Material Kits — Fit¬ 
tings— A Twenty-four-inch Model — Materials — The Hull 
— To Lay Out the Hull — Templets — Carving the Hull — 
Hollow the Inside — Make the Deck — The Keel — The Rud- 
(^er — The Rudder-post — A Port — The Tiller — The Spars 
— The Mast Loops — The Rigging-loops — A Mast-step — 

The Sails — The Rigging — Automatic Steering — Finishing 
— A Yacht Club — Model-yacht Regattas — Racing Rules. 

CHAPTER XVII 

A Model Motor-Boat .177 

Time Required to Build Model Motor-boat — Cost of 
Plant — Boy Craftsman Prize Model Motor-boat — Materials 



XIV 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

— The Hull — Templets — To Shape the Outside — Hollow¬ 
ing Process — The Cabin — The Power Plant — Toy Electric 
Motor — The Propeller — The Shaft — A Port — The Motor 
Hook-up — The Rudder — The Tiller — A Quadrant Plate — 

A Propeller-and-rudder Guard — Finishing — Make a Stand. 


CHAPTER XVIII 

A Great Rig in Kites .188 

The Conyne Model — A Cross Between a Box-kite and a 
Hexagonal Kite — Materials Required — Kite-sticks — The 
Covering Material — A Thirty-three-inch Model — The As¬ 
sembly— Frame the Triangular Cells — Fasten the Hori¬ 
zontal Stick — The Framing-string — Cover the Side Wings 
— The Bridle — The Belly-band — The Flying-line — A Kite¬ 
line Reel. 


CHAPTER XIX 

An Air-Motor .193 

Similarity in Motion of Windmill and Airplane — Windmill 
Easy to Build and Easy to Keep in Repair — Size Varies in 
Proportion to Height of Mounting — First Shape the Hub — 

‘The Hub-bearings — The Motor-shaft — The Shaft-bearings 
— Cut Four Fan-blades — Cut the Tail — Finish the Parts 
— Mount the Windmill — Harness the Air-motor. 


CHAPTER XX 

An Airplane Weather-Vane. 198 

Model Will Withstand Storms — Symbolizes Your Interest 
in Aviation — Building this Model is Simple — The Fuselage 
— The Wing — The Elevator and Rudder — Braces — The 
Propeller — Cylinders — The Landing-chassis — The Tail- 
skid — Finishing — The Swivel Base — An Electric Outlet 
Box-cover Base — An Iron Pipe Support — A Concrete Base 
— Points of Compass Omitted from Support. 

CHAPTER XXI 

A Museum. 206 

Collecting is an Interesting Hobby — Collections Vary in 
Value — Anton Watkin’s Home Museum — Your Own Room 
as a Museum — Bill Jones’ Museum — A Boy Scout Troop 
Museum — A Stamp Collection — Duplicate Stamps for Ex- 




CONTENTS 


XV 


PAGE 

changes — A Coin Collection — Mount Your Coins — To Pre¬ 
pare the Coin-mat — A Passe Partout Frame — A Knot 
Board — Material for Knot Board — A Rock and Mineral 
Collection — A Shell Collection — A Collection of Leaves — 

An Insect Collection — A Photograph Collection — A Photo¬ 
graph Album — A Folding Screen — A Card-index of Ex¬ 
hibits— A Specimen-cabinet — Shelves — To Trim the Cabi¬ 
net — Cabinet Drawers — Finish the Cabinet. 

CHAPTER XXII 

A Cracker-Box Aquarium. 217 

Few Responsibilities Connected with Keeping Goldfish — A 
Well-balanced Aquarium — Do Not Change Water — When a 
Fish Becomes Sick — Feed Sparingly — Difficulty in Building 
Wood-and-glass Aquarium — The Tin Cracker-box Aquarium 
— Materials — Make Your Aquarium Cement — Prepare the 
Box This Way — Paint the Tin — Set the Glass — A Castle 
for the Aquarium — Make a Form — Mix Sand and Cement 
— Build the Castle Walls — Stocking the Aquarium. 

CHAPTER XXIII 

A Bird Sanctuary. 224 

Fitting Up a Bird Sanctuary Is One of the Best Hobbies — 

A Reader’s Letter — A Wren Hut — To Prepare the Cocoa- 
nut — Make the Roof — To Assemble — A Bluebird House — 

Lay Out the Front — Lay Out the Back Board — The Side¬ 
boards— The Roof-boards — The Floor — The Doorway — 

The Hanger — Paint the Bluebird House — Shingle the Roof 
— A Wren or Bluebird House — Build Houses to Sell — Di¬ 
mensions of Parts — The Side-pieces — The End-pieces — 

The Floor-board — Eave Strips — The Roof-boards — 
Hanger-blocks — For Spring Cleaning — A Nesting-material 
Depot — Cut the Center Stick Support — The Tin Funnel 
Roof — The Nesting-material Cage — To Assemble — Finish¬ 
ing. 

CHAPTER XXIV 

Bird-Baths and a Fish-Pool.233 

A Bird-bath Attracts Birds to Your Grounds — Affords 
Rare Opportunity for Study and Photographs — A Tree- 
stump Bath — To Mount the Cover — A Rustic Bath — A 




XVI 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Fish-pond or Water-garden — A Concrete Pool — The Size of 
the Pool — Mark Out the Pool — Excavate to a Depth of 
Four Inches — Make the Rim Level — Tamp Down the Earth 
— A Home-made Tamper — A Cinder Sub-base — Material 
for Concrete — A Mixing-box — To Mix a Batch of Concrete 
— Shovel the Concrete into the Excavation — Reinforcing — 

Add Two Inches of Concrete — Finish the Edge of the Pool 
— The Bird-bath — Planting — A Drain. 

CHAPTER XXV 

Kennels ..240 

A Kennel Supplies Spring and Summer Quarters for Your 
Dog — A Well-built House — The Size — The Material — 

Build the House in Sections — To Make the End-wall Section 
— The Side Sections — Build the Floor — The Roof — Venti¬ 
lation— Cover the Roof — Paint the Kennel — A Barrel 
Kennel — A Wooden Oil-barrel — The Crib — Preparing the 
Barrel — Painting — A Concrete Bowl for Drinking-water — 

Mix the Concrete — Pour the Concrete — Remove the 
Form. 


CHAPTER XXVI 

A Back-Yard Zoo .246 

Park Zoo Is a Model for Your Back-yard Zoo — Placard 
the Cages of Your Pets with Their Latin Names — A Good 
Way to Acquire a Zoo — Care for Your Neighbors' Pets 
When the Owners Are Away — This Is a Pleasant Way to 
Earn Vacation-money — Kennels May Be Adapted to Other 
Pets Than Dogs — Poultry-houses May Be Used for Pigeons 
— An Emergency Hutch — It Is Made of a Box — An Ex¬ 
hibition-cage— A Rabbit-hutch — Three Compartments in a 
Box — Cut Floor-boards — Cut Two Doorways — The Rabbit 
Runways — The Stairway — Make the Doors — Cover the 
Sides of the Runways — A Pair of Trestles — Paint the In¬ 
side and Outside of the Hutch — A Convertible Coop or 
Hutch — The Construction — Build Up the Sides — A Venti¬ 
lator— Cut the Roof-boards — A Chicken Coop — The 
Hinged Front — Cut the Small Doorway — Hinge the Front 
— Fasten the Floor — A Stairway — Make the Screen Doors 
— An Enclosed Runway — Paint the Assembled Frame¬ 
work— Cover the Top, Sides and Front Door Frame with 
Poultry Netting. 




CONTENTS 


xvii 


PAGE 

CHAPTER XXVII 

A Poultry-House. 257 

Large Piece of Ground Unnecessary for SmaU Poultry-plant 
— Balanced Rations a Product of More Scientific Methods — 
Trap-nests Make Possible a Check on Egg-production — 
Scratch-shed Affords Protection in Inclement Weather — 
Combination Poultry-house and Scratch-shed — The Building- 
Material — The Scratch-shed or Basement Framework — Cut 
the Floor-joists — Lay the Floor-boards — The Poultry-house 
Framework — The Rear Frame — The Front Frame — To 
Erect the House Framework — The Rafters — Build the 
Side-wall Frames — The Doorway — Sheathe the Walls — 

The Roof — Trimming — Glaze the Windows — The Venti¬ 
lator— Cross-ventilation — Make a Batten Door — Enclose 
the Scratch-shed — An Entrance Platform — Build the Steps 
— The Runway — Poultry Fixtures — The Roosts — The 
Droppings-board — The Nest-boxes — The Drop-leaf — Con¬ 
tainers for Scratch-feed^ and Mash — Painting — White¬ 
washing. 


PART III 

SUMMER HOBBIES 
CHAPTER XXVIII 

A Sharpie Outboard Motor-Boat . .269 

Extensive Use of the Outboard Motor — Own Your Boat 
— The Flat-bottomed Sharpie — The Materials — The Ma¬ 
terial Bill — The Construction — Stem-piece — Center Mold 
— Stern-piece — The Assembly — The Side-boardsThe 
Bottom-boards — The Keel — The Upper Side-boards — The 
Seats — A Deck-piece — Trim the Gunwales — Oar-lockets — 

Paint the Boat — Letter a Name ■— Overhauling the Boat — 

To Waterproof It. 


CHAPTER XXIX 

A Canvas Canoe . 

Model Designed by Robert McKechnie —- An Inexpensive 
Craft —It Is Easy to Build and Ea^y to Transport — The 
Frame-work — The End-pieces -“ The Ribbands and Gun- 



XVlll 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

wales — The Molds — Assembling — The Covering — Paint¬ 
ing— The Cockpit — A Double Paddle — A Life-preserver 
Vest. 

CHAPTER XXX 

Woods and Water Ideas. 282 

A Pup-tent for an Overnight Hike May Be Carried on Your 
Back — A Large Tent Will Pack in a Trek Cart — Poles 
Must Be Jointed to Pack into a Compact Bundle — Jointing 
the Poles — To Pack the Poles — A Campfire Crane — Pot¬ 
hooks— An Orange-crate for Camping — An Automobile 
Cabinet — Cover the Cabinet — A Trek-cart Cabinet — A 
Fishing-line Di^dng-reel — A Home-made Reel — The Base — 

The Reel — The Axle — A Crank — Finish — A Canoe or 
Sharpie Headlight — The Lamp Support — The Base Board 
— Paint — To Assemble the Headlight — Paddle and Oar Re¬ 
pairs— Broken Handles — Reinforce the Connection — The 
Twine Splice — A Wire Splice — A Square Break — A Broken 
Oar-handle — A Split Handle — A Split Paddle or Oar-blade 
— Tip Your Paddle-blade — Protect the Upper End of the 
Break. 


CHAPTER XXXI 

Back-Yard Shacks. 294 

Material for the Job — Crating-material Is Good Enough 
— Where You Can Get It — Boards from Packing-cases Can 
Be Used — A Small Shack — The Framework — The 
Sheathing — Lay the Roof-boards — No Floor Is Needed — 

The Door — The Windows — Box Furniture — A Window- 
seat — A Boy-scout Patrol-shack — The Essentials of a 
Patrol-Shack — The Framework — The Sheathing — The 
Window Openings — A Batten Door — The Roof—Build a 
Ladder — Insulation — Bunks — Painting. 

CHAPTER XXXII 

A Cave with Secret Entrance. 303 

This Cave Differs from Most Caves — Built for Safety 
— The Cave Is Dry, Light, and Well Ventilated — Attraction 
of the Cave Is the Secret Entrance — The Building-material 
— The Size of the Cave — The Underground Portion — The 
Above-ground Portion —The Walls —A Ventilator-shaft — 


CONTENTS 


xix 


PAGE 

To Set Up the Walls — The Secret Entrance — Make the 
Walls Watertight — Outside Grading — Sow Grass-seed to 
Hide the Entrance. 


CHAPTER XXXIII 


A Play Periscope .309 

What a Periscope Is — Ways of Having Fun with the 
Periscope — Imagine Your Cave a Submarine — Other Possi¬ 
bilities— How the Periscope Is Made — Material Required 
— The Construction Is Simple — Fit the Mirrors in Position 
— A Strap Handle — Paint the Inside. 


CHAPTER XXXIV 

The Wabash Limited Pushmobilb. 315 

A Step between Miniature Models and the Real Thing — 

The Railroad Working-capital — The Materials — The Tools 
— The Locomotive — The Axles — The Boiler Framework — 

The Boiler-jacket — The Cab — The Driving-rods — The 
Cylinders — The Steering-device — The Steam-dome and 
Sand-box — The Stack — The Headlight — The Bell — A 
Running-board — Steam and Water Pipes — A Pilot — Valves 
— The Tender — The Pullman — The Paint Job. 


CHAPTER XXXV 

A Dump-Truck Pushmobile .321 

A New Idea in Pushmobiles — It Is Easy to Build — The 
Chassis — The Steering-gear — The Braking-device — The 
Truck-cab — The Hood — The Truck-box — The Dumping- 
hoist. 


CHAPTER XXXVI 

An Airplane Pushmobile.327 

An Airplane Model Big Enough to Ride In — The Fuse¬ 
lage— The Cabin Window — The Hatchway — The Fin — 

The Rudder — The Motor Cylinders — The Wing — The 
Stabilizer — The Landing-gear — The Covering — The Cabin 
— Paint the Ship. 



XX 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

CHAPTER XXXVII 

Back-Yard Railroading. 333 

Perfection of Toy Railroad-equip«nent To-day — Building 
Model Railroad Systems a Recent Development — A Vil- 
l^e Model — A Rocky Mountain Model — Start with a 
Simple Model — A Model Lake — A Wash-tub Lake — A 
Concrete Basin — A Mountain Creek — A Railroad Bridge — 

A Concrete Bridge — A Form — The Arched Openings — The 
Concrete — A Different Design of Concrete Bridge — A Box 
Girder Type of Bridge — Piers — The Roadbed — The 
Girders — The Ties — Paint — A Steel Bridge — A Trussed 
Bridge — The Girders — The Truss-members — The Tie-Rods 
— The Roadbed — A Railroad Tunnel — Build a Box — Build 
a Mountain — Finish the Entrances — A Railroad Depot — 

A Telegraph Line — The Poles — The Telegraph Wires — A 
Radio Transmitting-station — An Airport — Material for 
Scenery — Toy Animals and Live Stock — Toy Automobiles, 
Airplanes and Wagons — Additional Suggestions. 


PART IV 
AUTUMN HOBBIES 
CHAPTER XXXVIII 

A Toy Electric Beacon.351 

Lad Uses a Toy Motor to Regulate Interval between 
Flashes — The Flashing Beacon — A Play Harbor — A Model 
Airport Beacon — The Material Needed — The Tower Frame¬ 
work— Two Form Blocks — The Covering — The Bridge and 
Railing — The Tower Base — The Electric Wiring — The 
Lamp Receptacle — The Lantern — A Small Bulb — The 
Flasher — The Outside Plastering — Finish the Tower. 

CHAPTER XXXIX 

A Toy-Electric Shooting-Gallery.357 

This Model Illustrates Adaptation of Toy Motor to a 
Home-made Toy — How It Works — The Base of the Shoot¬ 
ing-gallery— The Power-plant — Making a Wooden Pulley 
— Mounting the Wheel — Belt the Pulley to the Motor-pulley 



CONTENTS 


xxi 


PAGE 

— Mount the Motor — The Target-disk — The Rabbit 
Targets — Draw the Rabbit Outline — Mount the Targets — 

Cut Score Numbers — The Bean-blower Shooter — Finishing 

— Rules for Shooting and Scoring. 


CHAPTER XL 

A Model Station for an Electric Railroad .... 364 

You May Have a Station, But One Is Hardly Enough — A 
Station Makes a Good Christmas Gift — It Requires a Box — 

Cut the Doors and Windows — Two Gable-ends — Two Roof- 
boards— Mount the Depot Upon Its Platform — Cut a 
Chimney — Tile the Roof — Trim the Door and Window 
Openings —Paint the Station — Build a Freight-house — 

Build a Power-house. 

CHAPTER XLI 

A Bean-Blow-Gun .369 

Model Designed to Shoot Beans at a Target — Its Barrel Is 
Built Upon a Tin Bean-blower — It Has a Rubber-tubing Ex¬ 
tension Through Which to Blow — You Drop the Beans into 
a Magazine — The Stock — The Barrel — Cut the Rubber¬ 
tubing Extension — Encase the Bean-blower — The Sliding 
Sleeve — The Assembly — The Rear Sight — For the Front 
Sight — Make a Trigger — Finishing — How the Gun 
Works. 

CHAPTER XLII 

The Feeding-Hens Toy .374 

This Pendulum Toy Is a Foreign Invention — How to 
Operate It — The Five Hens — The Bodies — The Legs — 

The Head and Neck and the Tail — The Feeding-platform — 

The Handle — The Pendulum — The Assembly — Finish the 
Toy. 

CHAPTER XLIII 

An Air-Spinner.379 

The Air-spinner Rises in Accordance with the Adjustment 
of its Tips — For Materials — The Spinning Device — The 
Spinner — To Launch the Air-spinner. 





XXll 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

CHAPTER XLIV 

A Dancing Puppet .382 

You Vibrate the Platform to Make the Puppets Dance — 

The Puppet — Assemble the Parts — The Neck — The Head 
— Finish the Puppet — The Dancing-platform — To Manipu¬ 
late the Puppet. 


CHAPTER XLV 

A Puppet Theatre.386 

This Could Be a Moving-picture Theater If You Own a 
Projector — A Reel of Pictures Will Hold Your Audience 
Between Acts — It is Great Fun to Make and Operate the 
Puppets — The Doorway Theater — The Stage — The Pro¬ 
scenium— Paint the Proscenium — The Stage-curtain — To 
Raise and Lower the Curtain — A Proscenium-drop — Stage- 
settings — Scenery and Properties — A Back-drop — Trees 
and Shrubbery — A Tower — A Cottage and Garden-wall — 
Puppets — Rag-dolls with Altered Joints — Changes of Cos¬ 
tume— Use Paper Dolls — The Thread Controls — Operat¬ 
ing the Puppets — The Stage-lighting — Puppet Plays. 

CHAPTER XLVI 

Game Equipment.396 

Some Boys Make Games Their Hobby — Home-made 
Equipment — Table Tennis — The Court — Marking Out the 
Court — A Wallboard Court — Make the Tennis-net — The 
Tennis-net Posts — Make Tennis-rackets — Table-tennis 
Balls — Rules for Table-tennis — A Ring-toss Target — 

Make the Target — The Target Face — Make the Easel — 

Paint the Target — The Target Pins — For Tossing-rings — 

Rules for Tossing and Scoring — The Tossing-line—To Count 
the Score — A Checker-solitaire Board — The Board — To 
Lay Out the Playing-surface — The Peg-holes — Finish — 
Checker-men — Sohtaire-pegs — Bags — Playing-rules. 

CHAPTER XLVII 

A Qxnz Clock .407 

This Model Is a Question-and-answer Device — It Is Fun 
to Prepare the Quiz-and-answer Cards — How the Quiz- 
clock Works — A Worn-out Clock Will Do — To Prepare the 




CONTENTS 


xxiii 
PAGE 

Clock — The Knob-heads — To Mount the Knob-heads — 
Finish the Knob-heads — Finish the Clock-case — The An¬ 
swer-dial Cards — The Question Cards. 


CHAPTER XLVIII 

A Gymnasium with Home-Made Apparatus .... 413 

Sell the Idea of a Gymnasium to Your Hobby Club — 
Where to Locate It — A Barn Loft — A Garage — A Base¬ 
ment— An Unfinished Attic — A Trapeze — The Trapeze- 
bar— The Suspension-ropes — An Eye-splice — The Way to 
Suspend the Trapeze — Height Adjustment — Flying Rings 
— The Pair of Rings — The Rope Hangers — A Horizontal- 
bar— The Uprights — The Bar-brackets — A Hickory Bar — 

An Iron Pipe Bar — To Set Up the Bar — Stay the Uprights 
— Parallel Bars — The Base — The Bars — The Supports — 

To Assemble the Apparatus — Finish the Woodwork — Mats 
— A Striking-bag Platform — The Platform — Suspend the 
Platform — The Hangers — Hinge the Platform — Other 
Apparatus. 


CHAPTER XLIX 

Book-Nooks and Whatnots. 429 

Start Your Own Library — Book-nooks for Your Own 
Books, for the Family’s Books, and for Gifts — An Extension 
Book-rack — The Parts — Laying Out the Parts — Assem¬ 
bling— A Wall-rack — The Material — A Pattern for the 
End-pieces — Saw the Curves — Shelf-grooves — The Shelves 
— Assembling — Finishing — Another Wall-rack — The Ma¬ 
terial— The Pattern for the Ends — The Shelves — Assem¬ 
bling— Finishing — A Corner Whatnot — The Turned 
Spindles — The Shelves — Finishing — Assembling — A Mod¬ 
ernistic Book-tower — Material — The Back-boards — Cut 
Five Shelves — Cut the Corner Post — Assembling — Finish¬ 
ing— A Pier-cabinet — The Material — The Side-boards — 

The Top — The Shelf-boards — The Face-board — Wallboard 
for the Back — Assembling the Parts — Finishing the 
Cabinet. 


XXIV 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

CHAPTER L 

A Waste-Basket and a Footstool .449 

Useful Medium-sized Furniture — The Waste-basket — Ma¬ 
terial— Assembling — Enamelling the Basket — The Foot¬ 
stool— A Pattern for the Sides — Saw Out the Sides — To 
Assemble the Frame — Upholstering — Finishing — The Top¬ 
covering Fabric. 


CHAPTER LI 

Earning, Saving and Spending. 454 

A Boy’s Rightful Use of Money — Henry Ford's Advice to 
Boys — Your Objective — Center Your Earning, Saving and 
Spending Program in Your Hobbies — Thomas A. Edison and 
His Boyhood Hobbies — Your Opportunities for Success — 
Hobby Equipment That You Can Earn — Many Ways in 
Which You can Earn Money — Making Things to Sell — 
Printing — Painting — Repairing — Photography — Garden¬ 
ing — Pets — Shows — Selling — Services. 

Index. 461 



LIST OP HALF-TONE ILLUSTRATIONS 


{In addition to more than yoo text illustrations) 


Fig. 87. 


Fig. I. 
Fig. 2. 

Fig. 18. 
Fig. 19. 

Fig. 112. 
Fig. 113. 
Fig. 114. 

Fig. 182. 
Fig. 183. 

Fig. 220. 

Fig. 221. 
Fig. 222. 
Fig. 223. 

Fig. 237. 
Fig. 238. 
Fig. 239. 
Fig. 240. 
Fig. 241. 
Fig. 242. 

Fig. 243. 
Fig. 244. 

Fig. 319. 
Fig. 320. 
Fig. 321. 


PART I 


Model Airplane Builders, South Parks Playgrounds, 1 Front- 
ChicagO . . . . . . . . .1 ispiece 


FACING PAGE 


Club Workshop the Best Place in Town 
Porch Shop for Building Radio Sets, etc. 

Attic Room as a Boy’s Room 
An Interesting Room and Its Owner 

Indoor Duration Model Airplane 
Twin Pusher Model Airplane 
Launching a Forty-Inch Twin Pusher 

Profile Fuselage Model Airplane, the P. F. 29 
A Low-Wing Profile Fuselage Model Airplane, the 
P. F. 30 . 

Colonel Lindbergh’s Ryan Monoplane, ‘‘Spirit of St 

Louis”. 

Side View of the Curtiss Army Hawk Biplane 
Front View of the Ford Tri-Motor Cabin Monoplane 
Side View of the Ford Tri-Motor Cabin Monoplane 

Model of Curtiss Hawk Built by Norman F. Zapf 
Plan of Curtiss Hawk Model .... 

Side Elevation of Curtiss Hawk Model 
Model of Curtiss Hawk Built by Harold Franklin 
Model of Curtiss Hawk Built by Garfield D. Day 
Model of Ford Tri-Motor Built by Cedric E. Galloway 

Galleon Built by Melville Schmuldt 
Galleon Built by Leonard Feinberg 

Model Yacht Regatta. 

Yachts Built by Members of the “Ogden Park Club” 
Randolph Cannon and His Model Yacht 

XXV 


8 


20 


70 


94 


108 


122 


124 


164 













XXVI 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


Fig. 341. 
Fig. 342. 

Fig. 375. 

Fig. 420. 
Fig. 421. 
Fig. 423. 
Fig. 425. 

Fig. 434. 
Fig. 436. 
Fig. 437. 
Fig. 438. 

Fig. 462. 
Fig. 464. 
Fig. 465. 

Fig. 504. 
Fig. 505. 
Fig. 506. 

Fig. 546. 

Fig. 570. 
Fig. 571. 
Fig. 572. 

Fig. 597. 

Fig. 623. 
Fig. 624. 
Fig. 626. 
Fig. 626. 

Fig. 652. 
Fig. 654. 

Fig. 714. 
Fig. 715. 
Fig. 716. 
Fig. 717. 

Fig. 776. 
Fig. 777. 

Fig. 796. 
Fig. 797. 
Fig. 79k 

Fig. 826. 
Fig. 828. 
Fig. 830. 


FACING PAGE 


Model Motor-Boat Built by Warren E. Leigh . . 1 

Crossing a Park Lagoon.J 

Air-Motor. Fig. 376. Airplane Weathervane 

Bill Jones’ Museum.' 

Coin Collection. Fig. 422. Knot Board . 

Leaf Collection. Fig. 424. Jars for Insects 
Cracker-Box Aquarium._ 

Wren Hut. Fig. 435. Bluebird House 

Wren or Bluebird House. 

Tree-Stump Bird Bath. 

A Bird Bath and a Fish Pond. 

Well-Built Kennel. Fig. 463. Barrel Kennel 

Emergency Hutch.> 

Coop or Hutch and Runway.^ 

Speeding with an Outboard Motor . . . .1 

Flat-Bottomed Sharpie. > 

Canvas Canoe and Its Builder.j 

Small Shack. Fig. 547. Boy Scouts’ Patrol Shack . 

Wabash Limited Pushmobile.] 

Dump-Truck Pushmobile.> 

Airplane Pushmobile.J 

Village Model. Fig. 598. Rocky Mountain Model . 

Sign-Flasher Operates Toy Electric Beacon . 

Framework of Beacon. 

Electric Toy Shooting-Gallery. 

Toy Motor Makes Target Rabbits Run 

The Bean-Blow-Gun. Fig. 653. The Feeding-Hens Toy' 
The Air-Spinner. Fig. 655. The Vibrating Platform 


The Ring-Toss Target. 

The Board for Checkers and Solitaire . 

The Quiz Clock. 

“Question” and “Answer” Knobs 

Wall Book-Rack. Fig. 778. Corner Whatnot . 
Another Wall-Rack. 

Modernistic Book-Tower. 

Pier Cabinet and Waste-Basket .... 
Footstool. (See Chapter L.) . . , . 

Cabinet of Tools. Fig. 827. Electric Bench Lathe 
Electric Scroll Saw. Fig. 829. Printing Press 
A Hobby Library. 


► 


178 

194 

206 

224 

240 

269 

294 

316 

334 

352 

370 

400 

432 

440 

456 














PART I 

Writer Hobbies 































































This is the day of organizations built around genius. 
An individual discovers a new process, invents a new device, 
or improves an old process or device; but an organization 
develops and promotes it along the intensive lines de¬ 
manded by modern business. The process or invention 
may be a one-man idea, but the one-man organization is 
almost a thing of the past. 

You boys develop ideas in your home shops, but you, 
too, sense the value of cooperation. When Dad helps with 
a project, perhaps he finds you not organized for the job. 
He adds a tool or two to your outfit. His interest in the 
work increases. Appreciating labor-saving devices, pos¬ 
sibly he invests in one or more of the new types of tnotor- 
driven machines designed for home shops. 

Your chum has interests similar to yours. He owns tools 
and books that you do not, and you own some that he 
does not. You know boys with equipment that neither of 
you has. What is more natural than to get the gang 
together and organize a hobby club? Each of you benefits 
by augmented equipment. Each profits by increased pur¬ 
chasing power. Each gains enthusiasm and new ideas from 

1 





































2 ' BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 

contact with other workers. These are advantages of 
organization. 

Choosing Club Members 

Your club may be an organization within an organiza¬ 
tion, or may be independent. It may be a patrol of your 
Boy Scout troop, a group from your school class, the park 
playgrounds, or your neighborhood. Most important, the 
boys must be congenial and earnest. 

The Club’s Purpose 

should be the pursuit of a chosen hobby. Let your other 
hobbies be subservient to the selected subject. 

When you have selected a group of boys for your club, 
call 

An Organization Meeting 

elect officers, appoint a committee to draw up a constitu¬ 
tion, and another to select a club workshop and a club 
room. 

The Officers 

If each member of the club can be made an officer or 
committee-man, so much the better, as it will give each 
a share of responsibilities for the success of the club. 
There will be a president, chief pilot, commander, com¬ 
modore, chief engineer, editor-in-chief, or whatever you 
wish to call the elected head. There will be a vice-presi¬ 
dent, or whatever title you choose to designate the sec¬ 
ond in authority, a secretary or scribe, a treasurer, and an 
adviser. 


A HOBBY CLUB 


3 


The secretary may also be foreman of the shop and 
librarian, or other members may be appointed to these 
offices. The club adviser should be an adult qualified to 
give helpful counsel in matters relating to the club hobby. 
Dad, or the father of one of the other Inembers, a teacher, 
your scoutmaster, or a man active in community work will 
be best fitted to serve. 

The Club Workshop 

You will be wise to select for the club workshop the 
best-equipped shop that is available, unless there is reason 
for establishing a separate shop, possibly combined with 
a club room. Each member should keep his private tool 
collection in a portable chest or cabinet, having a lock, 
that there may be no charge of loss or breakage against 
the club, and there should be an understanding that any 
loss or breakage of borrowed tools must be made good by 
the borrower. Suggestions for building a work-bench are 
given in Chapter II, other suggestions for shop equipment 
are given in my books, The Boy Craftsman,” Handi¬ 
craft for Handy Boys,” The Handy Boy,” and Car¬ 
pentry and Mechanics for Boys ” ; and plans for a back¬ 
yard shop are given in The Handy Boy.” 

The Club Room 

may be a part of the shop, or separate. Perhaps you can 
have the use of a room at school for special meetings and 
demonstrations. The advantage of a permanent room is 
that you can build in cabinets and shelves for books, 


4 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


models, and trophies, and you can decorate the walls with 
photographs, drawings, blue-prints, medals, and ribbons. 
Suggestions for a club room are given in Chapter III, and 
additional suggestions in Handicraft for Handy Boys.’’ 
Building a back-yard shack is described in Chapter XXXI, 
a back-yard cave in Chapter XXXII, a log cabin in The 
Boy Craftsman,” and plans for a tree hut in “ The Handy 
Boy ” and Outdoor Boy Craftsmen.” 

The Club Library 

should be made as complete as possible. Chapter XLIX 
teUs how to build bookcases, shelves, and racks for books. 
Let each member lend his handicraft books and other books 
related to the club’s chosen hobby; also, his scientific 
magazines and boys’ magazines. Vote to appropriate a 
portion of the club’s yearly budget for the purchase of new 
books and for magazine subscriptions. 

Affiliate with an Organization 
that sponsors the club’s hobby, if you can locate one. It 
will make helpful contacts. If the hobby be model air¬ 
planes, join the Airplane Model League of America ” ; if 
it be model boats, join the Model Yacht Racing Associa¬ 
tion of America” ; if it be publishing an amateur paper, 
join the National Amateur Press Association ” ; if it be 
building bird-houses, join the American Bird-House 
League.” And in order that you may keep in contact with 
new developments in hobbies, join The Boy Craftsman 
League.” For information concerning any of the above 


A HOBBY CLUB 


6 


organizations, send stamp to me, addressing your letter: 

Neely Hall, Elmhurst, Illinois.^’ 

Exhibitions, Contests, and Races 

For the promotion of hobby shows, model airplane con¬ 
tests, model yacht races, bird-house contests and other 
competitions, interest the local chapter of the American 
Legion, Rotary, Kiwanis or Lions Club, the Chamber of 
Commerce, or other organization. A practical demonstra-* 
tion of models usually is sufficient to convince a program 
committee of the worthiness of an activity. 

The following is offered as a suggestion for the club con¬ 
stitution. It may not meet every requhement, but it will 
assist the committee in drafting the articles. 

Suggested Form for a Hobby Club Constitution 

Article 1. Name 

This club shall be known as.. and shall 

be affiliated with. 


Article 2. Object 

The club’s hobby shall be. 

Article 3. Membership 

The membership of this club shall be limited to. 

New members shall be admitted only upon having passed 

the following requirements:.. and 

having received a majority vote of members present at a 
regular business meeting. 







6 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Article 4. Officers ■: 

The officers of this club shall consist of a president, vice- 
president, secretary, treasurer, shop foreman (custodian or 
business manager), librarian, and adviser. They shall be 
elected for a period of. 

Article 5. Duties of Officers 

Section 1. The president shall preside at all regular 
meetings. 

Section 2. The vice-president shall preside in the absence 
of the president. 

Section 3. The secretary shall keep the minutes of the 
meetings, and handle the club’s correspondence. 

Section 4. The treasurer shall have charge of the club’s 
finances, receive all dues and money payable to the club, 
and pay out such sums as he is duly authorized to pay by 
signed order of the finance committee. He shall keep a 
correct record of money received, spent, and on hand, and 
render a report at each business meeting. 

Section 5. The shop foreman shall be responsible for 
club shop equipment and material, and shall be a member 
of the equipment committee. 

Section 6. The librarian shall be responsible for the 
club’s books and periodicals, and shall be a member of the 
equipment committee. 

Article 6. Cornmittees 

There shall be a finance committee, an equipment com¬ 
mittee, a program committee, and such other committees 
as the president may appoint. 



A HOBBY CLUB 


7 


Article 7. Meetings 

The regular meetings of the club shall be held on. 

., at;. 

Article 8. Dues 

The membership dues shall be. Special assess¬ 

ments for equipment and other purposes may be made 
only upon unanimous vote of members. 

Article 9. Order of Meetings 

1. Call to order 

2. Holl Call 

3. Reading of minutes 

4. Treasurer’s report 

5. Committee reports 

6. Unfinished business 

7. New business 

8. Adjournment. 

Article 10. Amendments 

Any article of this constitution may be amended at a 
regular business meeting by a two-thirds vote of members 
present. 







In imagination I see you fellows at benches in a wide 
variety of shops, from a makeshift in Mother’s kitchen to 
your own building in the back yard. Extremes, those, and 
there is probably a difference in the character of work that 
reflects the conditions under which it is done. Some of you 
must work under adverse conditions, but each year brings 
changes, so keep a look about you for an opportunity for 
betterment. The club shop suggested in Chapter I is a solu¬ 
tion to the problem. 

Location of the Workshop 

An Outside Shop may be the ideal location, if it can be 
built large enough, with provision for heating in winter. 
Chapter XXXI tells how to build a shack that would serve 
the purpose, and Chapter I of ‘^The Handy Boy” tells 
how to build several types of back-yard shops. 

The photograph of Fig. 1 shows a group of boys of the 
class of Frank W. Neil, instructor in Home Mechanics at the 
John Adams Junior-High School, Los Angeles, at work on 
radio sets in 

A Shop in a Garage. If a garage is large enough, is well 

8 





































Fig. 2.—Here Is a Dandy Porch Shop for Building Radio Sets 

AND Model Airplanes. 



Fig. 1.—The Gang Finds the Club Workshop the Best Place in 

Town. 




















A MODEL-MAKING WORKSHOP 


9 


lighted, and can be heated, it makes a first-class place to 
work in. If Dad is building a new garage, possibly he will 
build a two-car or three-car structure, so that one-half or 
one-third may be utilized for a shop. 

The photograph of Fig. 2 shows two of Mr. Neibs boys 
in a 

Porch Shop. It would be hard to find a better spot for 
building airplane models and radio sets, for experimental 
work, or, indeed, woodworking, provided the porch is glazed 
and can be heated. Here the shop is high and dry, and 
has all the light one could want. 

The cost of enclosing a porch is not much. Possibly you 
can interest Dad in having it done. A local sash-and-door 
mill or a carpenter will give an estimate on the work. 

All places considered, probably none is better than 
A Basement Shop, provided the basement is dry and well 
lighted. Here there is usually room for expansion, as new 
equipment is added, and who among us isn’t keen about 
equipment—a cabinet of new tools, a circular-saw, a lathe, 
and some of the other motor-driven time-saving machines 
for home shops that are so enticingly displayed in store 
windows and in advertisements. 

A Home-made Work-bench 
Next to tools, a solid work-bench is the model maker’s 
most important equipment. The bench need not be pur¬ 
chased. Indeed, it is better to put the savings on the pur¬ 
chase price into tools and materials. You can build a very 
good bench, like that shown in Fig. 3, for less than five dol- 


10 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


lars. It has a wrought-iron bench screw that you can buy 
for seventy-five cents. A cabinet-maker’s vise with steel 
jaws and device for rapid opening and closing, costs five 
dollars and up. You can add one later when you can better 
afford it. ' 



The Material required and the way to cut it and assemble 
it is shown in Figs. 4 to 12. Buy a piece of 2-by-4 14 feet 
long for the legs and top plates, a l-by-4 16 feet long for 
the rails and braces, a l-by-8 10 feet long for the front and 
back aprons, a 2-by-8 16 feet long for the top planking, a 

1- by-6 16 feet long for the bottom shelf, and a piece of 

2- by-6 29 inches long for a vise jaw. This material may 
be of pine. Maple makes a harder working surface for a 
top and is used on factory-built benches, but pine costs 
















































A MODEL-MAKING WORKSHOP 


11 


less and is easier to get. I have a pine-top bench that has 
had many years’ service and is good for many more. 

Fig. 6 shows a cross-section of the 
bench. First, cut the pieces for 

The End Frames. Fig. 4 shows a 
frame and dimensions of its parts. 

Spike, bolt, or screw the pieces to¬ 
gether. Carriage-bolts or lag screws 
%-inch in diameter make a neater 
job than spikes. 

Before attaching the diagonal 
braces, make sure that corners are 
square. By placing one frame flat 
upon the floor and building the other 
upon it, it is easy to get the pair 
alike. 

With the frames assembled, stand them up and connect 
them with 

The Aprons (Fig. 5). Cut these 5 feet long and fasten 
them with their top edges even with the leg tops, and 
their ends projecting 6 inches. 

The Top Planking goes on next. Cut the 2-by-8 plank, 
which will measure 1% inches thick by 7% or 7% inches 
wide, into three pieces 5 feet long. Spike or bolt the pieces 
to the plates of the end frames, with their ends and edges 
even with the bench aprons. With the top in place, cut 

The Bottom Shelf boards and nail them to the bottom 
rails of the end frames. 

The Bench Vise is easily assembled. Fig. 7 is a detail 

















12 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


of the 2-by--6 jaw. Taper the lower end, as shown. Fig. 
8 shows a detail of the bench screw, the screw A, the nut 



B, and the handle C. The nut may be set into a 2-by-4 
block (D, Fig. 9), and the block spiked to the back of the 
bench leg (Fig. 6), or set directly into the leg. Some bench 
screws, made for 4-inch legs, are not threaded close enough 
to the handle to permit setting the nut into a 2-by-4 leg. 
They require the block D to make possible the closing of 
the vise. 

To bore the hole for the bench screw, nail the jaw tem¬ 
porarily to the face of the bench, in its correct position, 
locate the hole, and bore through the jaw, apron, and leg. 
If you have an expansive bit, set it to bore a hole of the 
right size. If you haven’t, bore a ring of small holes and 
cut out the wood between with a keyhole saw or chisel. 





































A MODEL-MAKING WORKSHOP 


13 


Care must be taken to hold the bit on a level, in order 
not to slant the hole. 



3‘- 



@ 



Fig. 7.—^Vise Jaw. 

Fig. 8 .—Bench Screw. 

Fig. 9.—Block for Nut. 

Figs. 10 and 11.—Sliding Strip and Pocket Block. 
Fig. 12.—Bench Stop. 


If you set the nut into the back of the leg, chisel away 
the hole to admit it. Screw the screw collar to the face 
of the jaw. 

























































14 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The lower end of the jaw must have the sliding strip E 
(Fig. 6) fastened to its edge, to guide it and keep it from 
pushing in beyond the upper end. The strip has a series 
of %-inch holes bored through it, 1 inch from center to 
center (Fig. 10), and a %-inch bolt is slipped into the 
right hole to keep the jaw from pushing in beyond that 
point. This device is necessary to make the jaw grip work 
squarely. The notch in the jaw (Fig. 7) receives the end 
of the sliding strip. Nail or screw the strip in place. 

The sliding strip slides in a pocket built upon the side 
of the leg. To make the pocket, fasten a block of wood 
above and another below the sliding strip, and a third 
block (F, Fig. 11) across the pair. 

The right end of long boards placed in the vise must be 
supported on 

An Adjustable Peg, and rows of holes must be bored in 
the edge of the bench top and front apron, as shown in 
Fig. 3, to stick the peg into. 

A Bench Stop at the left end of the bench top is needed 
to push work against. Iron stops made to set in a mortise 
cut in the bench top can be purchased at a hardware store. 
But the home-made wooden stop, with notched end, shown 
in Fig. 12, serves very well. Screw it to the top, with the 
notch to the right, as shown in Fig. 3. 

A Packing-Box Work-Bench 

Fig. 13 shows a bench built upon a pair of packing-boxes. 
The boxes save the building of end frames, and they can 
be converted into cabinets, handy for tools and material. 


A MODEL-MAKING WORKSHOP 


15 



Fig. 13.—Bench Built upon a Pair of Packing-Boxes. 
Fig. 14.—Connect the Boxes Like This. 

































































































































































































































16 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Packing-Boxes should measure about 10 inches 
deep, 14 inches wide, and 27 inches long. The best place 
to get them is a paint store, hardware store, or dry-goods 
store. Select boxes that are alike, and strongly made. If 
nails have loosened, drive in additional nails. 

The Cupboards require shelves. Fasten these between 
the box sides (Fig. 15). Then cut strips 2 inches wide 
from the box cover boards, and trim the fronts of the cup- 



Figs. 15 and 16.—^The End Cupboard Shelves Brace the Boxes. 
Fig. 17.—Brace on Box Bottom. 


boards with them, as shown (Fig. 16). Enclose the space 
between the strips with a door hinged to one strip, as shown 
in Fig. 13, or with a burlap curtain hung upon a rod. 

Nail a diagonal strip across each box bottom (Fig. 17), 
to give the box greater rigidity. 

The Bench Top requires two pieces of 2-by-8 plank, the 
aprons two pieces of a l-by-8 board, and the bottom rails 
two pieces of a l-by-4 board. For a short bench, the top 












































































































































































A MODEL-MAKING WORKSHOP 


17 


and aprons may be 4 feet long, the rails 10 inches shorter. 
First, connect the boxes with the aprons and rails as shown 
in Fig. 14, then add the top planking. 

The Vise will be assembled in the same manner as the 
vise of the larger bench (Figs. 6 to 11). Let the bottom 
sliding stick slide through a slot cut in the side of the left- 
hand box (Fig. 14). 

Other Shop Equipment 

You will need a tool cabinet or tool chest in which to 
lock up tools after use. You will need racks in which 
to stick tools while you are at work. You must have con¬ 
tainers for nails, screws, bolts, hinges, and other hardware, 
and racks for material. You will need horses across which 
to place boards for marking and sawing, and a bench-hook, 
miter-box, sandpaper-block, and other devices. You will 
find plans and instructions for making them in Chapter I 
of The Boy Craftsman,’^ in Chapter II of “ Handicraft 
for Handy Boys,” and in Chapter II of The Handy Boy.” 

Name Your Shop 

If your shop is a club shop, let it bear the name of the 
club. If you are specializing in airplane models, ship 
models, bird-houses, or toys, let the name of the shop 
designate it. Select a catchy name that you can print or 
have printed upon letter-heads and envelopes. 

Here are the names of a few home and club shops that 
may include one to your liking: Model Aircraft Shop,” 

The Juvenile Manufacturing Company,” Boy Toy 


18 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Model-Makers/^ “ Feathered-Friends Home-Builders/' 
“ Big Boy Boat-Builders,” Home-made in America Air¬ 
craft,” Pioneer Plane Plant,” “ The Boy Tinker Com¬ 
pany,” Model Mechanics,” Reliable Radio Repair 
Shop.” 




CHAPTER III 


FURNISHING YOUR 
ROOM OR A CLUB ROOM 


It is a big job to furnish a boy’s room, and no one can 
do it better than the owner, if indeed, as well. Cost enters 
little into it. It is rather a matter of arrangement, a 
problem of providing storage space for a thousand and one 
things, to the end that the room may not have a junk-shop 
setting. Naturally, a fellow’s interests grow with him, and, 
as these increase, so does the problem of caring for equip¬ 
ment. 


The Furnishings 

Simplicity should be the keynote in furnishing the room. 
A bed, dresser or highboy, desk or table, and a chair are the 
essential pieces of furniture. A grass rug or rag rug is the 
proper floor covering. Window hangings may have to con¬ 
form to Mother’s scheme for the house, but maybe she will 
listen to your plea to omit frills. Heavy net curtains, with 
straps and harness rings to drape them back, are quite the 
thing, and are inexpensive. 

A small room is a handicap at the outset, but by careful 
planning and building racks, cabinets, under-the-bed boxes, 
and similar catch-alls, a surprising number of effects can be 

19 






































20 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


accommodated. It is really not so much a matter of space 
available as how well the space is organized that determines 
whether or not the scheme is a success. 

A Room in an Attic 

An unfinished attic has great possibilities for bedroom, 
club room, radio room, indoor airport, laboratory, den, 
museum, one or all. Perhaps an additional window or two 
will be necessary; perhaps a dormer to provide sufficient 
headroom. Such alterations are not expensive, and, con¬ 
sidered from the standpoint of converting storage space into 
living space, are a good investment. You can do the work 
with the aid of Dad, your chum, or several of your club 
members. A friendly carpenter will lay out the work, ad¬ 
vise what is needed in millwork, lumber, and other mate¬ 
rials, and, if necessary, lend a hand with the heavy work, 
charging only for his time. 

Finishing an Attic Room does not necessitate plaster¬ 
ing. The 'modern procedure is to set up a framework of 
2-by-4 studding, for walls, and to cut off portions made low 
by the roof, then to cover this framework with plaster board 
or fiber board. Most dealers in lumber carry several types 
of wallboards. 

Wallboard is made in widths of 32 inches and 40 inches, 
to provide for a spacing of studding 16 inches and 24 inches 
from center to center. The lengths are 6, 7, 8, and 9 feet, 
so the wall of average height can be put up in single 
lengths. Cutting can be done with a saw, where necessary, 
because the materials cut as easily as wood, and rough 



Fig, 19.—An Interesting Room and Its Owner. 



Fig. 18.—An Attic Has Great Possibilities for a Boy’s Room. 





























FURNISHING YOUR ROOM OR A CLUB ROOM 


21 


edges ma/ be made smooth with sandpaper or a file. Nails 
with large heads are needed for fastening wallboard. 
Joints can be filled with plaster compounds sold for the 
purpose, but the usual practice is to conceal them with lat¬ 
tice strips or other strips, in order to produce a paneled 
effect. Some wallboards do not require decoration, but all 
take paint, calcimine, and other finishes, except wallpaper. 
Wallpaper has a tendency to warp fiber boards. Panel 
strips and baseboards are finished like the rest of the wood¬ 
work. 


Storage Closets 

The photograph of Fig. 18 show^s an attic room wuth 
walls finished wdth plaster board. The side walls wore set 
at a point where the ceiling height is 4 feet, and the space 
behind the walls was converted into closets, with doors set 
at convenient intervals. Shelves and boxes make every foot 
of the closets available for storage. This is just what you 
need for your seasonable equipment, or what your club 
needs for lockers. 


A Window-Seat 

Fig. 18 shows a long window-seat, with an end cabinet 
and space beneath for box files. Figs. 20 to 29 show the 
construction of the seat and the cabinet. As the sizes wull 
be detennined by the space they are to occupy, dimen¬ 
sions are not given. Perhaps you will w^ant to build only 
the seat, perhaps you will have room only for the cabinet. 

The Seat Height may be regulated by the window-sill. 


22 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


It ought to be chair high, or 2 inches lower, if cushioned. 
Fig. 21 shows how to support the seat boards, matched 



Fig. 20.—Front Elevation of Cabinet and Files. 
Fig. 21. —Cross-Section. 

Fig. 22.—Cupboard Door Catch. 


or matched-and-beaded boards, upon cleats (A) supported 
on short uprights (B) fastened to the wall above the base, 























































































FURNISHING YOUR ROOM OR A CLUB ROOM 


23 


and on 2-by-2 legs (C). After nailing the seat boards, fin¬ 
ish the front with a narrow strip, or apron (D). 

A Cabinet 

The built-in cabinet at the end of the seat (Fig. 18) has 
glass doors, and is the right sort for the display of airplane 
models, small mechanical models, whittling projects, and 
curios that should be kept away from dust. Its wide, deep 
shelves may be adjusted to the 
heights required, or removed to 
provide hanging space. Fig. 20 
shows a front view, and Fig. 21 a 
cross-section. 

The Cabinet Sides are of wall- 
board. A framework for each 
must be built of l-by-2 strips (E 
and F, Fig. 23). When you have 
nailed the frame strips together, 
tack wallboard to them, and trim 
off the edges even with the strips. 

Finish the edges of the wallboard 
with lattice strips (G, Fig. 24). 

The cabinet in the photograph 
has a top extended to form 

A Shelf for Models. The shelf 

is made of matched boards, like 

the seat. Cross battens on the 

upper side hold the boards together ^ 

. Fig. 23. — ^Wallboard Side 

and prevent warping. of Cabinet. 

















24 BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 

Set the Side Frames in place and nail to the seat and 
the top shelf. Then fasten the l-by-2 jamb strips H and 
the l-by-6 facia board I to the front, and cut the sill strip 
J (Fig. 21) to fit between the jamb strips. Strip K across 
the top of the opening (Fig. 21) is a stop for the doors to 
swing against. A similar, narrower strip is required across 
the bottom of the opening. 

Shelves can be made of boards, if the depth of the cabinet 
is 12 inches or less. Wider shelves for a cabinet for curios, 

models, and the 
like, can be built 
of l-by-2 strips 
and wallboard. 
Fig. 25 suggests 
how to make a 
shelf frame. Fig. 
21 shows a cross- 
section of four 
frames with the 
wallboard tacked 
in place. Metal 
shelf supports can 
then be purchased 
at the hardware 
store, or you can 
drive wooden pegs 
into holes bored in uprights E of the side frames. 

Cabinet Doors. The cabinet may be left open or be 
provided with a curtain hung upon a rod, if you cannot get 




@ 

Fig. 24. — Plan of Doors and Comers. 
Fig. 25.—Shelf Frame. 












FURNISHING YOUR ROOM OR A CLUB ROOM 


25 


glass for doors. Doors make the cabinet nearly dustproof. 
You can order a pair at a local mill, or build them yourself. 
If you are not experienced in woodworking, you are not 
familiar with making the rabbets necessary to receive the 
glass. Here is a simple way to make a rabbeted frame. 
Using tongued-and-grooved stock (Fig. 26), rip off the 



Figs. 26-29. — Details of Cabinet Doors. 


width of strip required from the grooved edge (see dotted 
line), then split off one side of the groove (Fig. 27). Join 
the strip ends as shown in Fig. 28, and reinforce the con¬ 
nections with wood-joint fasteners (Fig. 29). 

Glass comes in widths and lengths of even inches, so it 
will save cutting to make doors that will accommodate glass 
of stock size. But make them large enough so there will be 
% inch clearance around the glass. Fasten the glass with 





















26 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


glazier’s points, weather stripping, screen molding, or other 
narrow molding. 

Hinge the doors with 3-inch brass hinges, a pair to a 
door. Provide a cupboard catch to hold the left-hand door 
shut (Fig. 22), and a cupboard latch to latch the right- 
hand door. 


Box Files 

Fig. 20 shows five box files below the cabinet and Fig. 30 
is a detail. You cannot have too many for the filing of 



catalogs, and for pictures and articles that you intend to 
paste later in your scrapbooks. The boxes may be made of 
corrugated-board cartons obtained from the grocery. Fig. 
31 suggests how to increase the height of a carton by rais¬ 
ing its folded top flaps, and binding them at the corners 
with gummed tape, or strips of linen coated with glue. At- 








































FURNISHING YOUR ROOM OR A CLUB ROOM 


27 


tach a drawer-pull (Fig. 32) to the front of each box with 
a stove-bolt. 


A Folding Screen 

A screen will serve several purposes. It will obviate the 
necessity for drawing the shade, it will shield the bed from 
window drafts, and it will make a good clothes-horse. But 
of greater appeal is its decorative utility. Its panels will 
afford good pinning surfaces for dozens of snapshots, sou¬ 
venir postcards, and posters. 

Figs. 33 to 40 show details for making the three-section 
folding screen shown in the photograph (Fig. 18). 

The Frames are built of l-by-2 strips, the covering is of 
wallboard. The frames are hinged with double-acting 
hinges so they will fold one upon another as shown in Figs. 
33 and 34. 

The wallboard panels may be set in grooves cut in the 
frame strips (Figs. 35, 36, and 37), or tacked to the side of 
the frames with round-headed brass tacks (Fig. 38). The 
former is the neater method, the latter is the easier. 

Figs. 35, 36, and 39 show dimensions of the frame strips. 
Be careful in marking and cutting them to get like pieces 
of equal length. If you groove the strips for the panels, 
you will need a %-inch chisel. Draw the side lines of the 
grooves % inch apart, then with the chisel held crosswise 
to the groove, cut away the wood a little at a time, working 
from one end of the groove to the other. Make the depth 
of the grooves % inch. 

Nail the frame strips together with finishing-nails 3 


28 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


inches long, and set the heads to provide for puttying. 
Fasten three strips as shown in Fig. 37, then cut the wall- 
board panel, slide it into the grooves, and fasten the fourth 



Figs. 33-40.—This is the Way to Make the Three-Fold Screen Shown 

in the Photograph of Fig. 18. 


strip. Glue applied to the panel edges will add stiffness to 
the frames. 

Double-Acting Brass Hinges of the type shown in Fig. 
40 can be purchased at the larger hardware stores. They 
are no harder to apply than ordinary hinges. Cut away 
the frame strips to receive the outer flap (Fig. 37). 

When you have hinged the frames, sandpaper all the sur¬ 
faces. Then apply several coats of enamel paint or lacquer. 





















































FURNISHING YOUR ROOM OR A CLUB ROOM 


29 


An Interesting Room and its Owner 

Fig. 19 shows Anton Watkins in a corner of the room 
he calls his editorial room. It reveals Anton’s varied in¬ 
terests. Each corner is as fascinating as the one pictured. 
Anton has been one of my most industrious readers for 
seven years. He manufactured bird-houses and toys for 
several years under the firm name of The Juvenile Man¬ 
ufacturing Company,” two years he edited, printed, and 
published “ The Handy Craftsman,” and one summer he 
took charge of a carpenter’s shop during the illness of the 
boss. He has built many types of ship models, and all sorts 
of furniture, from a footstool to a kitchen cabinet. He has 
won many prizes, medals, and diplomas for his work, has 
found time for scouting, and accomplished the feat of hik¬ 
ing with a 35-pound pack from his home in Easton, Penn¬ 
sylvania, to Boston, Massachusetts, preparatory to entering 
college. 

You can win prizes, medals, and diplomas for your work, 
too. Send a stamped, addressed envelope to me for a copy 
of Handicraft News.” It is full of suggestions. As soon 
as you have won your first diploma, frame it and hang it 
on the wall of your room. It will be a source of inspiration 
and will spur you on to greater effort and other rewards. 

Picture Frames 

Anton Watkins made many of the picture frames shown 
in the photograph of his room. Plain frames are not diffi¬ 
cult to make. Small pictures may be mounted behind glass 
without frames. Get pieces of glass of correct size at a 


30 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


paint store, cut cardboard backing of the same size, place 
the diploma or picture between the glass and the cardboard, 
and bind together the three with passe-partout paper or 
ordinary gummed tape. 

Other Suggestions 

You will find other suggestions for your room in Chap¬ 
ter XLIX, in Chapter IV of The Boy Craftsman,’^ in 
Chapters VI, VIII, IX, and X of Handicraft for Handy 
Boys,^^ in Chapter V of The Handy Boy,” and in Chap¬ 
ters VIII and IX of Carpentry and Mechanics for Boys.” 



Here is a chest like one I owned when I was a boy, and 
I am sure that you will want to copy it for your room. You 
will have more use for it than I had for mine, probably, 
because boys nowadays have more treasures for safe keep¬ 
ing. Fig. 41 shows a picture of the chest. The secret lock 



Fig. 41. —The Top of the Chest Seems to Open at the Center. 

But it Doesn’t. 

is dandy. Right away you think that the top opens at the 
center. It looks as though it did. But that is where your 
friends will be fooled. Read on, and the mystery will be 
unfolded. 


31 






































32 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


A Box FOR THE Chest 

First of all, find a nice box. Perhaps you can get one at 
the grocery, but there is a better chance of finding a big box 
at a paint store. It may cost as much as twenty-five cents, 
or it may not cost anything. The chest shown in the illus¬ 
trations measures 24 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 9 
inches deep. But if your box is longer or shorter, wider or 
narrower, deeper or shallower, it will not matter. Get the 
cover boards, if possible, or other boards that will fit or can 
be cut to fit. 

Reinforce the Box. The boards of used boxes are often 
loose. Examine your box and drive in additional nails 
where necessary. But drive the nails straight so they 
will not come through the box sides. If a nail breaks 
through, pull it out with the claw of your hammer, and 
drive in another nail in another place. 

The Cover 

Fig. 42 shows the box ready for its cover. Fig. 43 shows 
the cover. The cover will be in two or three pieces, 
probably, and the boards must be fastened together on the 
under side with strips of wood called battens. The best 
way for you to attach battens is with nails short enough 
so they will not go entirely through them and the boards. 
Then drive longer nails through the boards and battens, 
and clinch them on the under side of the battens, that is, 
bend over the nail points and hammer them into the sur¬ 
face of the battens. A good way to clinch nails is to rest 
the battens upon the blade of a hatchet, then drive the 


A TREASURE CHEST WITH A SECRET LOCK 33 

nails through to the blade. The steel surface will bend 
over the nail ends. The cover must be made to fit even 
with the box sides and ends, as shown in Figs. 41 and 44. 




Fig. 42.—Box for Chest. 
Fig. 43. — Cover. 


The Hinges 

Buy two pairs of japanned loose-pin hinges 3 inches 
square at the hardware store, for attaching the cover. Fig. 













































































































34 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


45 shows a loose-pin hinge. The pin is easily pulled out by 
means of the knob on the end, and when the pin is out, the 
hinge separates as shown in Fig. 44. Place a pair of the 



Fig. 44.— How the Cover is Hinged to Opposite Edges. 


hinges on each of the long edges of the cover, several inches 
from the ends, and fasten them to the cover and to the box 
sides with round-headed screws. 

The Secret Lock 

Now your chest cover is fastened on tight. But you can 
open it on either side. All that you have to do is pull out 







A TREASURE CHEST WITH A SECRET LOCK 


35 


the loose pins on one side, and presto! the cover is un¬ 
locked. If the pins stick, file or sandpaper them, then 
apply several drops of machine-oil. 

Of course, you want it to be thought that the cover opens 
at the center. The illusion is strengthened by boring a 
keyhole, covering it with a keyhole plate, and fitting a key 
in the hole. 


Chest Handles 

Buy a pair of chest handles, like that in Fig. 46, and 
screw them to the chest ends. Buy four wooden base knobs 



Fig. 45.—Loose-Pin Hinge. 

Fig. 46.—Chest Handle. 

Fig. 47.— Base Knob Foot. 

Fig. 48.—Corner Brace. 

like that in Fig. 47, and screw them to the chest bottom, 
one at each corner, for feet. Drive two finishing-nails 
through the rim of each knob to reinforce the screw. 

Painting 

You will want to paint the outside of the chest and the 
feet with two coats of enamel or paint. I would suggest red 
or yellow, but blue or green will do. Then, when the sur¬ 
faces are dry, you will be ready to add the finishing touches. 

























36 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Finishing Touches 

The chest should look very strong. Buy a dozen iron 
corner-braces (Fig. 48), at the hardware store, and screw 
three of them to each corner, using round-headed screws. 
Paint the braces black. Then bind all the box edges 
with strips of tin or cardboard, painted black, fastening the 
strips with round-headed tacks, or paint narrow black 
bands in imitation of metal, and stud them with round- 
headed tacks placed about 1% inches apart. 

Don’t neglect to add a picture of a ship model or of a 
skull and crossbones on the two sides of the chest. You 
will find it easy to copy one in crayon, then fill in between 
the outlines with black paint, to make it a silhouette. 

On the top of the chest you might tack a card on which 
is printed or written something like this: “Open before 
Christmas—if you Can,” as a challenge to friends to solve 
the mystery of the secret lock. 



CHAPTER V 
SCRAPBOOKS 



If you havenT formed the habit of clipping newspaper 
and magazine articles that you like well enough to preserve, 
cultivate it. It’s a hobby that will profit you in many 
ways. It isn’t sufficient to slip clippings into a drawer, or 
into a box, where they may be torn, and probably lost track 
of. There is little satisfaction in keeping such a collection. 
File them in a scrapbook where they will be safe from in¬ 
jury and will be at your fingers’ tips when wanted. 


An Aeronautics Scrapbook 

is the latest thing, and every air-minded boy is making one 
for articles on aviation and pictures, another for articles on 
model airplanes and model plans. 

Of books on aeronautics there are many, but develop¬ 
ments are coining through at a rapid pace, and you can 
keep your scrapbook up to date with pictures and articles 
clipped from daily newspapers, aeronautical journals, boys’ 
magazines, and manufacturers’ circulars. 

Don’t collect aeronautics clippings exclusively. Make 

37 








































38 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


A Sports Scrapbook 

of clippings on games and sports events in which you have 
participated as player, entrant, or spectator, articles on 
sports, and pictures of champions, local, national, and in¬ 
ternational. Such a collection will be appreciated in later 
years when you old boys get together and begin reminis¬ 
cing. It will revive fading memories and settle disputes as 
to who did what, and when, and where. 

If you are a Boy Scout, don’t fail to start 

A Scrapbook of Scouting 

Each day brings its quota of articles and records of Scout 
deeds, in the press, each week and each month brings its 
quota of helpful articles, in boys’ magazines. Much of this 
material is too good to throw away. Select, clip, and mount 
in a scrapbook, and before long you will have an invaluable 
supplementary handbook. 

Your Troop should have its scrapbook, as a matter of 
record. Keeping one is another job for the scribe, an as¬ 
sistant, or a Scout selected because of a keen nose for news. 

Notebook Covers 

of foolscap size are suitable for a small scrapbook. I have 
before me a scrapbook of this form, the work of James Coe, 
an ardent aviation fan. James’ book consists of eighty 
pages with pictures of one hundred and twenty-five types 
of American planes, fourteen types of foreign planes, 
twenty-five types of motors, instruments, and maps. This 
is but one of several volumes, and the loose-leaf arrange- 


SCRAPBOOKS 


39 


ment makes possible the transferring of sheets from one set 
of covers to another, to keep the material classified. It is 
well to provide for expansion, for there is no foretelling 
how a collection will develop. 

A second form of scrapbook is one with 

Home-Made Covers 

Figs. 49 to 51 show three of these. They will cost less 
than ready-made covers. They are of bookbinder’s board, 
and, as they measure 11 by 14 inches, they will accommo- 



Figs. 49-51.—Home-Made Scrapbooks. 


date as large pictures as you are likely to collect. For pic¬ 
tures from the smaller magazines, a better size will be 10 
by 12. 

Binder’s Board can be obtained at a book-bindery, or a 
printer can get it for you through a paper house. Plywood 
of three-ply, %6, or % inch thick will make a good sub¬ 
stitute. For large covers, wallboard may be used, but it is 
rather thick for the purpose. 

The back cover may be in one piece (Fig. 52), but the 


40 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


front cover must have a hinge strip on the binding edge, so 

* 

that it will open freely. Cut the covers of equal size, then 
trim a strip 1 inch wide from the front cover (Fig. 53). 




Figs. 52 and 53.—Back and Front Covers. 

Fig. 54.—Hinge Strip for Front Cover. 

Fig. 55.—How to Drill Leaves for Binding. 

Fig. 56.—Screw Post. 

Fig. 57.—Stove Bolt Post. 

Figs. 58-60.—How to Mount Clippings and 
How to Index Pages. 

Hinge the 1-inch strip to the cover with a piece of black 







































SCRAPBOOKS 


41 


cambric of the right width to fold over both sides of the 
strip, and make a lap of 1 inch over the cover. Glue the 
cambric to the strip and cover. Lap a similar strip over 
the edge of the back cover so the pair will look alike, and 
glue triangular tips of cambric over the right-hand corners 
of both covers. 

Decorate binder-board covers with a colored picture, and 
run a title across the top, as suggested in Figs. 49 and 50. 
Finish plywood covers with apple green or Chinese red 
lacquer, and letter a title in black. 

Stock for Scrapbook Leaves 
The scrapbook leaves should be of a good grade of manila 
paper. A printer will order the stock and cut it for you. 
The sheets should be % inch narrower and % inch shorter 
than the covers. 


Assembly 

The covers and leaves must be punched. Lacking a 
punch, drill holes with a %6-mch drill. Fig. 55 shows 

How to Drill the Leaves. Clamp them tightly between 
two strips of wood. A pair of curtain stretcher clamps can 
be used. Lay out the positions for the holes upon the 
upper wooden strip. Then drill through the strip and 
through the pile of paper until you reach the lower strip. 
That the holes may come over one another, be careful to 
hold the bit brace so the drill will bore the holes vertically. 

Fig. 56 shows a screw post carried by stationery houses 
and hardware stores. If no local dealer has them, substi- 


42 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


tute stove bolts (Fig. 57). An advantage of the screw post 
is that it provides for expansion. But you can get whatever 
length of stove bolts you need, and substitute longer bolts 
as the scrapbook increases in thickness. Instead of using 
posts, you can lace together the covers and paper with a 
shoe lace, as the covers in Fig. 51 are assembled. For a 
shoe-lace binder, bore three holes instead of two, and run 
the shoe lace through the three. 

Mounting Pictures and Articles 
Use library paste or flour paste for mounting articles and 
pictures on the scrapbook leaves. Apply the paste at the 
corners of the clippings with an additional touch at the 
center of long edges. 

If an article is printed upon both sides of a clipping, 
apply paste to the margin and mount as shown in Fig. 58. 


Classifying 

You will probably have your own ideas about arranging 
clippings, but here is a suggested layout for an aeronautics 
scrapbook. Start with a blank page. On the second left- 
hand page mount a suitable picture for a frontispiece. 
Make the third page the title page. Hand-letter this, 
'^Aeronautics” or "Aviation,” " Vol. I” (or whatever 
the number may be), and." Articles and Pictures collected 
by-.” 

Let the first part of the book include articles on the his¬ 
tory of aviation, followed by articles on aerodynamics, the 



SCRAPBOOKS 


43 


science of aviation. Collect as much of this matter as you 
can, and fix the facts in the mind as well as in the book. 

Run pictures of different types of ships, next, then pic¬ 
tures of motors and accessories, and, after these, airports 
and equipment. 

Fig. 59 suggests how to 

Index the Pages with tabs of manila paper, folded in 
half (Fig. 60), coated with paste, and lapped over the 
edges. 


A Letter-File Scrapbook 

Fig. 61 shows a scrapbook tnade of a letter file. The file 
has advantages over the book. It will hold a large number 



Fig. 61 . —Letter-File Scrapbook. 

of leaves. The leaves may be slipped in and out without 
fastening. There are index leaves to simplify classifying. 
And the closed ends of the box keep out dust. 










7 ^^ 



CHAPTER VI 


MODEL AIRPLANE 
TOOLS, MATERIALS, 
AND TOURNAMENTS 



Building model airplanes is possible for every boy be¬ 
cause few tools are required, and inexpensive ones at that. 
Indeed, they are ordinary tools such as one might expect to 
find in every household. Figs. 62 to 76 show sketches of 
an outfit that will serve excellently. A rule for measure¬ 
ments, a knife, coping-saw, razor blade, plane, sandpaper, 
and scissors, for cutting, round-nosed cutting pliers for cut¬ 
ting and bending wire, a drill, a hammer, a candle for heat¬ 
ing bamboo to make it pliable for bending, one or more 
spring clothespins for clamping together small parts until 
cement has set, and a water-color brush for applying ba¬ 
nana oil. A toothpick or other small stick is better than a 
brush for applying cement. The above tools will shape the 
raw materials into finished planes. If you purchase mate¬ 
rials in kit form, and metal fittings ready-bent, the tool 
outfit may be reduced two-thirds. 


Adhesives 

Cement is preferable to glue for joining wooden and 
metal parts, and the two products in general use are Am¬ 
broid cement and Du Pont cement. The advantages 

44 


/ 






































MODEL AIRPLANE TOOLS, MATERIALS, TOURNAMENTS 45 


SANDPAPtR- ■ 


<>fV- 


« **«•■**• •*«•.♦*«**• * * ** 





KNIFE (g) 




ROUND NOSED 


RAZOR BLADE (g) (^CUTTING PLIERS 


HAMMER 

@ 



Figs. 62-76. — Model Airplane Tools and Adhesives. 
































































46 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


cement holds over glue are that it dries quickly, holds more 
firmly, is fiexible, lighter in weight, and waterproof. You 
can purchase it at sporting-goods stores and hardware 
stores, in a 2-ounce can, which amount lasts the average 
model-builder six months or more, if the can is kept tightly 
closed. 

Acetone. When cement or airplane dopes become thick, 
through exposure to the air, they can be thinned by adding 
acetone. This is also a good solvent for removing cement 
from your fingers. A few drops on a rag will do' the trick. 
Acetone can be purchased by the ounce at a drugstore. 

Banana Oil is the adhesive for sticking the paper cover¬ 
ing of wings and tails and for making these surfaces tight, 
airtight, and waterproof; also, for finishing wooden sur¬ 
faces, for appearance and to add strength. It can be pur¬ 
chased at a paint store in whatever quantity is desired. 

Apply banana oil with the brush specified in the tool out¬ 
fit. Smooth wooden surfaces with No. 00 sandpaper, before 
finishing with banana oil. First, rub with the sanded side 
of the sandpaper, then with the reverse side. Apply four 
coats of banana oil, and rub down after each application 
with the reverse side of a piece of sandpaper. 

Airplane Dope is the tertn given liquids used to make 
surfaces tight, airproof, waterproof, and strong. Banana 
oil is the form commonly used by model-builders. It may 
be thickened by dissolving in it pieces of celluloid. Com¬ 
mercial nitrate dopes are used on fabric-covered wings, for 
adhesive and finish. These can be purchased from dealers 
in model airplane supphes. 


MODEL AIRPLANE TOOLS, MATERIALS, TOURNAMENTS 47 


Framework Materials 

Balsa wood has no equal for models built to fly, because 
of its weight, which is less than one-half that of cork, and 
its strength, which is about one-half that of spruce. This 
wood, imported from South America, was difficult for 
model-makers to get until the demand for it became so 
great that a fairly wide distribution developed. A coping- 
saw will cut propeller blanks and motor sticks, and a 
safety-razor blade will rip sawed sticks into slender strips 
for spars and ribs, but not with the precision of a circular 
saw. For this reason, material kits outlined on another 
page have become popular. Balsa strips can be warped 
while held over the spout of a steaming tea-kettle, or by 
bending, while wet, over a lighted electric-light bulb. 

Bamboo is used for wing tips, ribs, fin, rudder, landing- 
gear, and tail-skid, because of its strength and the ease of 
bending it into curved shapes. But bamboo sticks are 
heavier than balsa sticks of equal size. The trend is toward 
substituting square wing tips and fins of balsa, and balsa 
ribs. An old bamboo fishing-pole, Japanese umbrella, 
porch shade, or rug pole will furnish a supply of strips. 
Ask for a rug pole at a furniture store. 

Covering Materials 

Japanese Tissue Paper is the most commonly used cover¬ 
ing material for wing, stabilizer, elevator, fin, and rudder of 

flying-stick models. It can be purchased from a model- 
supply house. Run a hot iron over it before using it, to 
smooth out wrinkles. Use banana oil for adhesive. 


48 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Chinese Silk or Linen is preferred to tissue paper for 
covering non-flying models. Use cement or airplane dope 
for adhesive, and finish the covered surfaces with commer¬ 
cial airplane dope, lacquer, or shellac. 

Metal Fittings 

Propeller shafts, thrust washers, bearings, hangers, yokes, 
S-hooks, wing clips, and cans may be purchased ready¬ 
shaped, but an expert builder prefers to bend his own, and 
you should learn to do so. 

Music Wire, sizes 8, 10, 12, and 14, is used for fittings. 
You can buy it in quarter-pound rolls at a hardware store, 
or the dealer will get it for you. The round-nosed cutting 
pliers shown in Fig. 69 are the kind to use for 



Fig. 77. — Use Round-Nosed Pliers for Shaping Metal Fittings. 

Shaping the Wire. Start the eye for a bearing as shown 
in Fig. 77. The eye will be much smaller than the nose of 
the pliers, and must be worked down to the required size. 
It is important to shape propeller-bearing eyes perfectly 
round, and just large enough so the propeller shaft will 


MODEL AIRPLANE TOOLS, MATERIALS, TOURNAMENTS 49 


have free play. Music wire is springy, which makes it 
somewhat difficult to shape. Model-builders have tried 
substitutes for wire fittings, not always with success. One 
idea is 

A Fishhook Bearing. A hook must be found with a very 
small eye. It must be annealed by holding in a flame until 
red hot, then cooling slowly. After you have shaped 
it, re-temper it, by heating it, then plunging it into 
water. If you do not do it right, the bearing will be either 
too soft or too brittle. 

A Needle with a small, nearly-round eye, annealed, 
shaped, and then re-tempered is another idea for a bearing 
(Fig. 159), and a third idea is 

A Brad with its head hammered flat, and drilled to re¬ 
ceive the propeller shaft. 

Thrust Washers 

Washers for thrust bearings are usually cut out of sheet 
brass, and center holes are punched with a phonograph 
needle. A round punch such as harness makers use is just 
the thing for punching out washers, and for the larger 
models 

A Wheel from a Glass Cutter makes an excellent thrust 
washer. This has been called the “ Kopecki ” disk bearing, 
after the lad who first adapted it. 

Landing-Gear 

Wheels for flying models are best made of disks of balsa. 
Paper cone hubs can be cemented to either side to make a 


50 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


good axle bearing (Figs. 147 and 173), or He-inch tubing 
can be cut into %6-inch lengths and cemented in the hub 
centers (Figs. 184 and 212). The tubing makes excellent 
hub bearings. 

You can pick up toy vehicles with wheels of correct size 
for scale models. 

Landing-Gear Axles may be made of music wire, bent 
to form shock absorbers (Fig. 210), and 

Struts may be made of bamboo or wire (Fig. 209). 

Shaping Bamboo 

Use only the outer or glossy portion of bamboo for wing 
tips, fin, and landing-gear of models. This is the stronger 
portion of the bamboo. The inner portion is pithy (Fig. 
78). Cut a section of bamboo between joints and split it 
as shown in Fig. 78, or support it up and down in a vise 
and split it with a chisel. Then split off the pithy portion, 
as shown in Fig. 79. 

Bamboo must be bent while heated. Slender pieces can 
be bent over a lighted electric lamp. But sharp bends must 
be made with the aid of a lighted candle. Fig. 80 suggests 
how to hold a strip beside a candle flame, about a quarter 
inch away, with the glossy side out. Move the strip back 
and forth in a circular path to distribute the heat, at the 
same time gradually bending the strip to the shape wanted. 
Then scrape the inner surface of the bent strip with the 
back of a knife blade, to remove burnt or blackened bam¬ 
boo, and reduce the thickness to %2 inch. 

Bend a pair of wing tips in one strip, then split the strip 


MODEL AIRPLANE TOOLS, MATERIALS, TOURNAMENTS 51 

(Fig. 81) with your knife or a safety-razor blade, to make 
two pieces (Fig. 82). 



Fig. 80.—Bend Bamboo Wing Tips Beside Flame of 
Lighted Candle. 


Figs. 81 and 82. — Bend Pair of Wing Tips in One 
Piece, Then Split in Two. 


A Razor-Blade Knife 

Nothing better has been found for ripping thin strips of 
balsa and bamboo, and for trimming the edges of wing and 
tail coverings than a safety-razor blade. It is best to 
mount the blade in a handle (Fig. 83). Cut a stick about 
6 inches long, % inch wide, and %6 inch thick, slot the end 
to a depth of 1 % inches, and bore two %-inch holes 

































52 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


through the end in the right positions to coincide with 
two of the blade holes when the blade is slipped into the 
slot (Fig. 84). Fasten the blade in the slot with two %- 
inch stove bolts, % inch long (Fig. 85). File off the bolt 
ends flush with the nuts. 



(g) i 4 


Figs. 83-86. — A Razor-Blade Knife. 

A razor blade is better adapted for close trimming when 
one corner is broken away, as shown in Fig. 86. 

Motors 

Clockwork, spring, and compressed-air motors are used 
as power plants for model airplanes, but taking weight into 
consideration, none is so efl&cient for the “ duration type 
of model as the 

Rubber-Strand Motor. The size of rubber commonly 
used is %2 inch thick and % inch wide. It can be pur¬ 
chased by the lineal foot wherever model supplies are sold. 

Care of Motors. You will get more out of your rubber 





































MODEL AIRPLANE TOOLS, MATERIALS, TOURNAMENTS 53 

strands by giving them good care. Remove them from the 
model after flights, and put them away in a tight box or 
can, away from light and air, which are destructive agents. 
A dusting of talcum powder helps to preserve the rubber 
and to keep the strands from sticking. 

Do not keep a motor wound for any length of titne, pre¬ 
vious to launching, as it decreases the elasticity of the 
rubber. Separate the strands after each flight and allow 
them to rest, in order that they may recover their normal 
length. 


Material Kits 

Because certain model-making materials have been diffi¬ 
cult to get, and because balsa wood is not easily ripped into 
thin strips without a circular saw, the material kit came 
into being, and it has proved a boon to model-builders. 
Some kits include the necessary balsa for a model, cut to 
required sizes, or to required thicknesses. Other kits con¬ 
tain every part needed to build a model. You will find ad¬ 
vertisements of kit services in boys’ magazines and aero¬ 
nautics journals. Following the trend, kits have been pre¬ 
pared for the several models in Chapters VII to X. In¬ 
formation concerning these may be obtained by enclosing 
a stamp in a letter to me, addressed: A. Neely Hall, Divi¬ 
sion of Model Airplane Kits, Elmhurst, Illinois.” 

Model Airplane Tournaments 
When a group of you boys have taken up the building 
of models, it will be natural for you to want to hold a con- 


54 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


test to determine whose models will fly longest and farthest. 
Interest the local chapter of the American Legion, Rotary, 
Kiwanis, or Lions Club, the Chamber of Commerce, or 
other organization, in promoting a contest. Model airplane 
contests are always popular, and once your community has 
held one, it will probably make them an annual affair. 

Besides winning local honors, you may have an oppor¬ 
tunity to represent the community at one of the national 
contests. At present there are two of these: the annual 
tournament sponsored by The American Boy and the 
Airplane Model League of America, and the tournament 
sponsored by the Playground and Recreation Association 
of America. Information concerning the former tourna¬ 
ment will be found in the columns of The American Boy. 
Information concerning the latter tournament may be had 
by writing to the address given below. 

The rules of the national tournaments have been drawn 
up by officials of many years’ experience. Therefore, they 
are to be recommended also for local contests. Through 
the courtesy of the Playground and Recreation Association 
of America, the following is quoted from the 

RULES AND REGULATIONS 

FOR THE 

NATIONAL PLAYGROUND MINIATURE 
AIRCRAFT TOURNAMENT 

Each community from which competitors may desire to enter 
the National Tournament must have a committee to administer 
the local competitions and to certify to the local records. This 
committee should include the superintendent or director of the 
playgrounds of the city, or, where the playgrounds are admin- 


MODEL AIRPLANE TOOLS, MATERIALS, TOURNAMENTS 55 


istered under more than a single auspices, the superintendent or 
director of each system; the president or one of the vice pres¬ 
idents of the Chamber of Commerce or similar organization; 
editors of local newspapers; a member of the Board of Educa¬ 
tion, or superintendent of schools; the president or vice president 
of the local aeronautic society or similar official of a local 
flying field or airport. Others locally desirable may, of course, 
be added. 

The National Committee will furnish official blanks to local 
committees upon which records, qualifications of contestants, 
and other facts are to be reported. The facts called for must be 
authoritatively certified by the committee responsible for the 
local tournament before contestants are qualified to compete in 
the national tournament. Information as to methods of regis¬ 
tering competitors, trial flights, previous inspection of planes, 
methods of running off and judging the events, may be secured 
from the Playground and Recreation Association of America, 
315 Fourth Avenue, New York City. 

Boys and girls up to, but not including twenty-one years of 
age, are eligible to compete in the tournament. There are two 
classes: 

1. Junior—^those who have not yet attained the sixteenth birth¬ 

day. 

2. Senior—those who are past the sixteenth birthday and who 

have not yet attained the twenty-first birthday. 

EVENTS 

There will be 7 events, 3 indoor and 4 outdoor, for each class 
(Junior and Senior). (Number of events varies from year to 
year.) 

Committees arranging local tournaments are urged to include 
all events listed in the national tournament. Of course, other 
events may be added locally, but local champions will have a 
much better chance for success in the national tournament, if 
they have had practice in their local tournaments in events 
scheduled for the national tournament. 


56 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Indoor Events 

The following indoor events are for rubber powered airplanes, 
motive power carried in plane itself, tractor or pusher, compet¬ 
ing for duration of flight. The distance from the inner face of 
the propeller to the opposite hook connection to be from 15 
to 20 inches. Greatest overall dimension to be not greater 
than 30 inches. 

1. Hand launched. Launchings to be not over 6 feet above 

floor— Junior Class. 

2. Same as event number 1— Senior Class. 

3. Fuselage models, rising off ground— Junior Class. 

All models must have landing chassis with two or more 
wheels in front, with either a wheel or tail skid at the rear. 
In launching, the model must be released with the front 
and rear landing-gears in contact with the floor without 
any pushing. See definition of Fuselage Models (page 58). 

4. Same as event number 3— Senior Class. 

5. Rising off water— Junior Class. 

All models must have hydro floats, which must support the 
model on the water at the take-off, with the propellers in 
motion. 

6. Same as event number 5— Senior Class. 

Outdoor Events 

The following outdoor events are for rubber powered air¬ 
planes, motive power carried in plane itself, tractor or pusher, 
competing for duration of flight. 

In planes entered in events 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the distance 
from the inner face of the propeller to the opposite hook con¬ 
nection to be not under 20 nor over 36 inches. Greatest overall 
dimension to be not greater than 48 inches. 

1. Hand launched; all launchings to be not over 6 feet above 
ground— Junior Class. 


MODEL AIRPLANE TOOLS, MATERIALS, TOURNAMENTS 57 

2. Same as event number 1— Senior Class. 

3. Fuselage models, rising off ground —Junior Class, 

See definition of Fuselage Models (page 58). 

4. Same as event number 3— Senior Class, 

5. Rising off water— Junior Class, 

6. Same as event number b—Senior Class, 

7. Any motive power other than rubber; type of launching op¬ 

tional; not to exceed 90 inches overall in length or span. 
Each model in this event must be equipped with one or 
more propellers, wings, and fuselage sticks and braces. This 
requirement is added to eliminate entries that are obviously 
not aircraft.— Junior Class, 

8. Same as event number 7— Senior Class, 

Contest Rules 

Each contestant may have three flights in each event. Each 
launching will count as a flight regardless of time of flight or dis¬ 
tance attained. Any flights accidentally interfered with by offi¬ 
cials or judges will be given another trial, if the contestant de¬ 
sires. The same or different planes may be used. The best 
flight only scores except in case of tie, then second best flight 
will determine the winner and the other contestant second. 

All planes must be made and operated by the contestant. If 
in the opinion of the judges special conditions warrant, a sub¬ 
stitute may be allowed to operate a plane. In addition to raw 
material, contestants are allowed to purchase in finished form, 
only, bearings, propeller shaft, small metal fittings, and wheels. 
Special attention is called to the requirement that floats and pro¬ 
pellers must be made by contestants. Any plans or patterns 
may be used, provided the models come within the contest re¬ 
quirements. 

In outdoor events numbers 7 and 8, for planes with power 
other than rubber^ contestants are allowed to purchase rockets, 
spring motors, compressed air motors, tank outfits, and other 


58 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


motor devices, but in all other respects the planes must comply 
with the above regulations of being built by the contestants. 

Fuselage Models. These planes must have the rubber within 
the fuselage. The fuselage covering must extend at least 4/5 
of the length of the rubber motor measured from the inner face 
of the propeller to the opposite hook connection. They must be 
generally similar in appearance to real planes, but need not be 
built to scale nor be an exact reproduction of a specific plane. 
The body may be any shape. Double covered or hollow wings, 
are required. They must have landing chassis, with two or more 
wheels in front, with either a wheel or tail skid at the rear. 


Method of Scoring in the National Finals 

For the event championship, winners will be the 3 contestants 
in each class (Junior and Senior) making the 3 best records. 

For the all-round championship, each contestant will score 
points in each event in which he competes as follows: First 
place, 5 points; second place, 4 points; third place, 3 points; 
fourth place, 2 points; fifth place, 1 point. The contestant hav¬ 
ing the largest total number of points for all events in his class 
will be declared the all-round national champion. 

It is suggested, too, that the local interest in these events will 
be greatly enhanced if events other than those to be decided in 

the finals at-be added to the local program. In the 

nature of the case, the National Committee cannot, because of 
the impossibility of personal inspection, make decision as to 
originality of design, beauty of construction, “ acrobatics,” i. e., 
the stunt possibilities of the aircraft. 

It is suggested to local committees that interest and partici¬ 
pation can be greatly increased in the communities if the news¬ 
papers, especially, and also the local civic clubs and any clubs 
interested in aviation, be asked to help and cooperate in the 
local tournaments. 

It is the hope of the National Committee that this contest 
will greatly stimulate originality and invention in the construc¬ 
tion of aircraft. 





CHAPTER VII 

AN INDOOR DURATION 
MODEL AIRPLANE 


This model has been selected by Director B. C. Fried¬ 
man, of the handicraft department of the South Parks 
Playgrounds, Chicago, as the best indoor model airplane 
for beginners to make. Mr. Friedman has followed the de¬ 
velopment of model airplanes for many years, knows the 
subject as few men do, and has developed champions 
among boys of his playground groups. He and several of 
his expert model-builders are shown in the frontispiece 
photograph (Fig. 87). By following the illustrations and 
instructions in this and succeeding chapters, prepared from 
Mr. Friedmanns sketches and notes, you, too, can become 
an expert builder. 

A successful flying-stick model depends upon correct 
design, the use of materials that are light and strong, and 
accurate workmanship. Having the design (Figs. 88 and 
112), and the detail diagrams (Figs. 89 to 111), and having 
procured the correct materials from a dealer in model sup¬ 
plies, it remains for you to demonstrate your ability as a 
craftsman. Accuracy will come with practice. 

59 


































60 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Materials 

The ID model requires the following: 

1 piece balsa by by 15" for tnotor base 

2 pieces balsa ^^ 2 " by (or by % 2 ") by 20" for wing 

spars 

1 piece balsa %" by by 9" for propeller blank 
Bamboo for wing tips, stabilizer, and fin 
Japanese tissue paper for wing and tail covering 
No. 8 and No. 10 music wire for metal fittings 
Thrust washers 

No. 50 cotton thread for stabilizer outline 
30 inches of flat rubber, size ^ 2 " by for motor 
Cement, and banana oil 

Before purchasing materials, read the suggestions given 
in Chapter VI, also note the reference to 

A Material Kit containing parts for this model. 

The Wing 

Begin the ID model by building the wing frame, shown 
in detail in Figs. 89 to 92. First, 



Good Type of Model for Beginners. 











AN INDOOR DURATION MODEL AIRPLANE 


61 



Fig. 89. ^Wing. Note: At date of going to press, prefer- 

Fig. 90.—^Wing Spar. ence is being shown wing spars 

Fig. 91.—Wing Tip and Spar Assembly. by % 2 ". 

Fig. 92.—Wing Dihedral. 




















































62 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Shape the Wing Tips out of bamboo. Cut a strip of 
bamboo at least 7 inches long. Split it and bend it, as de¬ 
scribed in Chapter VI and illustrated in Figs. 78 to 82, to 
the form and size shown in Fig. 89. 

For Spars, plane two 20-inch balsa sticks to a uniform 
thickness of inch and width of inch, then sandpaper 
them to a thickness of %2 inch (Fig. 90). Cut a notch 
%2 inch deep and % inch long in each end (Fig. 91), to 
receive the wing-tip ends. 

Split Three Ribs out of bamboo, %2 inch thick, 1^2 
wide and 3 inches long (Fig. 89). 

To Assemble the Wing Frame, cement the ends of the 
wing tips in the spar notches. Then check up on the dis¬ 
tance across the frame, to make sure that it is exactly 2% 
inches, and cement a rib across the frame 4 inches from 
each end of the spars. Omit the center rib for the present. 

The Dihedral. The wing must slope from its center up, 
as shown in Figs. 88 and 92, to give the model lateral 
stability. A horizontal surface has more lift to it than a 
sloping surface. Consequently, when a wing with a 
dihedral is tilted one way or the other by a current of air 
or other cause, the low side becomes the more nearly hori¬ 
zontal side, it lifts more than the high side, and the model 
is brought back to an even keel. 

To give the wing-frame its dihedral angle, invert it so 
that the two ribs will be on the under side. Then place a 
block under the right half to raise the ends of the spars 2 
inches (Fig. 92), and press down the centers with the 
blade of a table knife until they touch the working sur- 


AN INDOOR DURATION MODEL AIRPLANE 


63 


face. The left half of the frame must have a twist, or 
wash-in, to offset the torque, or unbalancing effect of 
the revolving right-hand propeller. Use two blocks to' warp 
it. Place one block under the trailing-edge spar to raise 
the end 2 inches, and place the other block under the lead¬ 
ing-edge spar to raise the end 2% inches. Again press 
down the spar centers until they touch the working surface. 
Steam the spar centers over the spout of a tea-kettle, before 
bending the frame, so the wood will not break. The wash- 
in is sometimes obtained by twisting the front-wing clip, 
but it is better to make it as described. 

When the frame has been shaped, put a drop of cement 
on the spar centers, slip the center rib into place, and hold 
until the cement has set. The cement will help hold the 
frame’s dihedral, and will strengthen the spars at the point 
of bending. It is well to add a drop of cement to the 
opposite side of the bend for the same purpose. Trim off 
the projecting ends of the ribs flush with the frame edges. 
Use your razor-blade knife for trimming them. 

To Paper the Wing. Press a sheet of tissue paper with 
a hot iron to remove all wrinkles, then cut a piece % inch 
larger all around than the frame. Fold it lengthwise at 
the center, unfold it, paint the center-wing rib with a thick 
coat of banana oil, place the tissue paper with the crease 
directly over the center rib, and press down the paper until 
it sticks. Next, paint the upper side of one-half of the , 
frame with banana oil, stretch the tissue paper taut, and, 
working from the center toward the tip, press down the 
tissue paper. Stretch the paper to make a smooth surface. 


64 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Paint the other half of the frame in the same way, and 
stick on the other half of the tissue paper. 

Invert the covered wing, paper side down, and with a 
safety-razor blade trim the paper to within He inch of the 
bamboo wing tips. Paint the projecting edges of paper 
with banana oil, fold them over the wing tips, and press 
down until stuck fast. Trim off the paper close to the 
spars, smooth with No. 00 sandpaper, and coat the edges 
with banana oil. 

An all-balsa frame for the wing is much lighter than 
one with bamboo tips and ribs, and many model-builders 
prefer it. The wing tips must be square instead of curved. 

The Motor Base 

Fig. 93 shows the motor base. Cut a balsa stick % inch 
thick, He inch wide, and 15 inches long (Fig. 94). Trim 
off the ends as indicated. Make a H 2 -inch square notch in 
the top edge, 3 inches from the rear end, to receive the 
stabilizer spar. Make a thread-cut 2 inches in front of the 
notch and another in the end of the motor base, for the 
stabilizer thread outline. 

The Stabilizer 

This portion of the tail, or empennage, is easy to make. 
Cut a bamboo spar of the dimensions given in Fig. 95, and 
cement it at its center in the notch cut for it in the motor 
base. With a safety-razor blade make a thread-cut in each 
end of the spar, and through the cuts run a piece of No. 
50 cotton thread for the stabilizer outline. 


AN INDOOR DURATION MODEL AIRPLANE 65 

Paper the stabilizer with Japanese tissue paper, just as 
you covered the wing, and trim off the paper about Ms inch 



Fig. 93. — Motor Base, Metal Fittings and Stabilizer Framework. 
Fig. 94. — Motor Base Diagram. 

Fig. 95.—Stabilizer Spar. 

Figs. 96 and 97. — Thread-Cuts for Stabilizer Outline. 

Fig. 98. —Rudder Framework. 

outside of the thread outline. Some builders omit the 
thread outline to save weight. 

The Rudder 

The rudder frame is made of bamboo strips of the sizes 
ishowD in Fig. 98. Cut the strips long enough to project 



















66 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


% inch. Cement their ends together, and, when the cement 
has set, trim off the ends at the acute angles, as indicated 
by dotted lines. 

Cover the frame with Japanese tissue paper. 

To mount the rudder, make a pinhole in the motor base, 
forward of the stabilizer spar, and stick the lower projec¬ 
tion of the vertical frame stick into the hole. The rudder 
can be set at any angle, and it will retain its position if 
the frame stick fits snugly in the motor base. 

Metal Fittings 

We are now ready for the wire fittings. You can buy 
these from model supply houses, but it is best to learn 
how to shape them yourself. Use a pair of round-nosed 
cutting pliers (Figs. 69 and 77, Chapter VI), and follow 
the dimensions given in Figs. 99 to 106, in bending the 
wire into shape. 

The Propeller Bearing (Fig. 99) requires a piece of No. 
10 music wire. Form the eye not larger than %2 inch in 
diameter, and absolutely round. Let the leg extend (Fig. 
100) to stick into the motor base, as shown in Fig. 99. 
Cement the bearing to the motor base, and add two turns 
of thread for reinforcement. 

The Rear Motor Hook (Fig. 101) is made of No. 10 
wire. Make a lie-inch eye (Fig. 102). Stick the leg into 
the motor base, cement it in place, and reinforce with two 
turns of thread. The propeller bearing and rear motor 
hook are best fitted to the motor base before the stabilizer 
is built. 


AN INDOOR DURATION MODEL AIRPLANE 


67 


The S-Hook connects the motor with the rear hook. 
Make it of No. 8 music wire, of the form shown in Fig. 103. 

The Propeller Shaft is made of No. 10 wire. Shape the 
loop like that shown in Fig. 104. Leave the other end 
straight until the propeller is ready for mounting. 



Figs. 99 and 100.—Propeller Bearing. 

Figs. 101 and 102.—Rear Motor Hook. 

Fig. 103.—S-Hook. 

Fig. 104.—Propeller Shaft. 

Fig. 105.—Thrust Washer. 

Fig. 106.—Front Wing Clip. 

Thrust Washers can be punched out of thin brass. Two 
or three may be used on the model. Fig. 105 shows the 
size of hole. Punch it with a phonograph needle. 

Wing Clips. A pair of clips are needed for mounting 
the wing upon the motor base. Bend them out of No. 8 
wire. Fig. 106 gives dimensions for the front clip. The 
rear clip will be the same, except that the %6-inch dimen¬ 
sion will be % inch. The opening between the loops, 
marked about % inch,’^ should be such that the clip will 
make a slip-fit over the motor base (Fig. 93). 

Cement the clips to the bottom center of the wing spars. 













68 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


the longer clip at the front, or leading edge, the shorter 
one at the rear or trailing edge. 

The wing clips make it possible to shift the wing for¬ 
ward or backward. When an even flight has been obtained, 
a fine variation in elevation may be obtained by slipping 
the front clip up for more elevation, or down for less. 

The Propeller 

If you have a knack for whittling, you should be able 
to carve a first-class propeller without difficulty. If not, 
you may spoil your first block. It is well to begin on a 
practice block. Any straight-grained soft wood will do, but 
balsa is best for the finished job, not only because of its 
lightness, but also because the wood is firm and easy to 
carve without splitting. Balsa requires a very sharp knife. 
Keep a whetstone at hand and use it frequently. 

The Blank should be of the dimensions given in Fig. 
107. After squaring up the block, draw diagonal lines 
from the comers, upon opposite faces. If the block is true, 
the intersection of the lines will be the true center, and a 
pin driven through frotn one center will come out at the 
opposite center. It is easy to push a pin through a balsa 
block, and a pinhole is large enough for the propeller shaft. 

Draw a pair of lines parallel to the side edges, inch 
apart, to establish the width of the hub. Saw or whittle 

I 

the sides of the block along the diagonal lines and the 
hub side lines (Fig. 108), and all will be in readiness for 
carving, except that a diagonal line must be drawn across 
each end, one opposite to the other, to indicate the plane 


AN INDOOR DURATION MODEL AIRPLANE 69 

of each blade. The lines are shown in Fig. 108, correctly 
drawn (one dotted) for a right-hand propeller. 



Start the Carving as indicated in Fig. 109. Pare off 
opposite edges of one face until the surfaces have been re¬ 
duced to a point Vio inch above the end diagonal lines (Fig. 
110). Smooth the surfaces, then make them slightly 
spoon-shaped, or cambered, by rubbing with sandpaper. 














70 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Turn the block over, and carve in the same way you 
carved the opposite face, to a point inch above the end 
diagonal lines, and sandpaper the surfaces convex-shaped, 
corresponding to the camber of the opposite surfaces. 

Now go over all surfaces and reduce their thickness until 
the blades are not fnore than inch thick. Hold the 
blades in front of a strong light to determine the points 
where the thickness is not uniform. Round the blade 
tips slightly. Reduce the width of the hub to % inch and 
the thickness to % inch (Fig. 111). 

To Mount the Propeller on its shaft, stick the straight 
end of the shaft (Fig. 104) through the hub hole, make a 
square bend in it (Fig. Ill), coat the bend with cement, 
and draw the bend into the hub to hold it fast. 

Two Thrust Washers are shown upon the propeller 
shaft. One of these should be cemented to the propeller 
hub, the other left free. 

The Motor 

A strand of flat rubber, 1^2 inch by % inch, 30 inches 
long is required for this model. To assemble the motor, 
tie the ends of the loop of rubber, slip the loop over the 
propeller hook and the S-hook, with the knot at the S-hook, 
and engage the S-hook with the rear motor hook. 

Tuning the Model 

Try out the model as a glider, before using the motor. 
Slip the wing into position about 5 inches from the forward 
end of the motor base, as a starter. The position varies 
with the weight of parts, different with different model- 




Fig. 113.—The Twin Pusher (TP) Model Airplane, Built for Speed. 
Fig. 114.~Launching a Forty-Inch Twin Pusher. 


Fig. 112. —The Indoor Duration (ID )Model Airplane. 







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: ‘ • r rill 




AN INDOOR DURATION MODEL AIRPLANE 


71 


builders. The correct setting will be determined in this 
way. If the hiodel dives at a steep angle, when released, 
it is under-elevated. Move the wing forward and launch 
the model again. If the model climbs too steeply, stalls, 
and slips back, it is over-elevated. Move the wing back. 
By this means of adjustment, or tuning, you will soon find 
the point at which the ship glides on an even keel. By 
raising or lowering the front wing clip, a fine variation in 
elevation or angle of wing setting can be obtained. 

Launching the Model 

Now for the flight. Turn the propeller clockwise with 
your finger several hundred turns, watching the knots as 
they form, to see that they do not bunch. When the motor 
is wound, hold the propeller with the fingers of the left 
hand, and the motor base with the right hand, the propeller 
in front, of course, and launch it with a slight push. Do 
not throw it forward. The success of a flight depends as 
much upon the skill with which the model is tuned and 
launched, as upon the building. An expert can get twice 
the flight out of a model that a beginner can get, so, if 
you are new at the game, ask an old-tuner to show you 
the knack of tuning and launching your ID ship. 

Fig. 112 is a photograph of an ID model built by Henry 
and Richard Hanscom from the plans given in this chap¬ 
ter. The same lads built the TP model in the photograph 
of Fig. 113, and the two PF models in the photographs of 
Figs. 182 and 183, from plans in the following chapters. 



Here is a twin pusher practice plane built for speed. It 
holds no records, but has given a good account of itself. 
It was designed by B. C. Friedman, director of model mak¬ 
ing at the South Parks Playgrounds, Chicago, whose boys 
have built hundreds like it. The average weight of the 
24-inch model will be about 2 ounces. This weight can 
be reduced by refinements, when one has acquired skill 
in building. The wing and elevator are heavier than the 
built-up frames of contest planes, but they are simpler to 
build and will not crack up as easily. 


Materials 

The TP model requires the following: 

2 pieces balsa by %" by 24" for frame longerons 
1 piece balsa %" by 3" by 18" for wing 

1 piece balsa %" by 2" by 6" for elevator 

2 pieces balsa %" by 1" by 7%" for propeller blanks 
Bamboo for frame braces 

No. 14 music wire for metal fittings 
Thrust washers 
No. 50 cotton thread 

3 2-inch rubber bands for mounting wing and elevator 







































A TWIN PUSHER MODEL AIRPLANE 


73 


50 feet flat rubber, size % 2 " by for motors 
Cement, and banana oil 

A Material Kit containing parts for this model is avail¬ 
able. See Chapter VI. 


The Frame 

First, build the frame, known as an frame. Plane up 
The Longerons, or side sticks, to the sizes shown in 
Figs. 116 and 117. Round off the edges with a file and 



Fig. 115.—This Twin Pusher is an All-Balsa Model. 


sandpaper, to give them the oval cross-section shown in 
Fig. 117, and bevel the front ends. The bevel must be 
right, so the sticks will come to a point when the opposite 
ends are spread 7 inches apart. 

Mark off the positions for the brace ends, on the longe- 








74 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


rons, where indicated in Fig. 116, and make slots at these 
points with the point of your knife blade (Fig. 118). 



Fig. 116.—“A” Frame of the Twin Pusher Model. 
Fig. 117.—Detail of Longerons. 

Figs. 118 and 119.—Insert Braces Like This. 

Fig. 120.—Motor Yoke. 

Figs. 121-123.—Propeller Bearing. 

Figs. 124-126.—Cans. 


Braces. Cut four bamboo braces of the sizes marked, 
and sharpen their ends chisel-shaped on the under side and 
edges (Fig. 119), so they will fit snugly in the frame stick 
slots. Make up the frame with the braces, and check up 






A TWIN PUSHER MODEL AIRPLANE 


75 


all measurements. Then take it down, coat the brace 
ends, longeron ends, and the slots, with cement, and re¬ 
assemble. The brace ends will project beyond the frame. 
Trim them flush with the sides of the longerons. 

The frame is now ready for its 

Metal Fittings 

These are to be bent out of No. 14 music wire, with the 
aid of a pair of round-nosed cutting pliers. Make 

The Yoke of the shape and size shown in Fig. 120, and 

The Propeller Bearings of the shape and size shown in 
Figs. 122 and 123. It is important to inake the eye of the 
bearings round, and just large enough to admit a propeller 
shaft of No. 14 wire. Some model-builders have saved 
themselves the trouble of shaping wire hangers by using 
flshhooks. See Metal Fittings,’^ Chapter VI. 

Cement the yoke and bearings to the frame, as shown 
in Figs. 116 and 121, bind with wrappings of No. 50 cotton 
thread, and brush the thread with a thin coating of cement 
or shellac. 

Four Cans are required for the support of the motor 
rubber. Make them of the shape and size shown in Figs. 
125 and 126, and cement them to the sides of the longerons 
in the positions indicated in Fig. 116. Then bind with a 
wrapping of thread, and coat the thread with cement or 
shellac. 

The Wing 

Fig. 127 shows the size of the piece of balsa for the wing, 
and Fig. 128 shows a pattern of one-half of it. To enlarge 


76 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


the pattern, draw a similar series of squares upon a piece 
of cardboard, ruling four horizontal lines and ten vertical 
lines with a spacing of 1 inch, then divide the squares at 


18 '- 



Figs. 127-130.—Cut the Wing Like This. 

Figs. 131 and 132.—^And Give It a Dihedral Angle. 


the tip into %-inch squares. On this pattern, reproduce 
the wing pattern exactly as it is shown in Fig. 128. By 
using a half pattern for the wing, it is easier to mark out 
the halves alike. 







































A TWIN PUSHER MODEL AIRPLANE 


77 


Cut out the balsa wing (Fig. 129), then taper it from a 
thickness of % inch at its leading edge to a feather edge 
at the trailing edge (Fig. 130). The tapering can be done 
entirely with sandpaper, but a plane or file will cut more 
quickly. Also taper off the wing tips, and round off the 
leading edge. 

The Dihedral. The wing must have a dihedral angle 
(Fig. 132). To get this, score a line across the center of 
the wing with a knife (Fig. 131), then place a brick or 
other weight upon one half, and bend up the other half 
until its top is exactly 1% inches above your working sur¬ 
face. Fill the scored groove with cement, and block up 
the tip until the cement has set. To reinforce the joint, 
run cement over the under side of the wing below the line 
of scoring. 


The Elevator 

Fig. 133 shows the size of the piece of balsa for the 
elevator. Lay out a half-pattern by the diagram in Fig. 
134, transfer it upon the piece of balsa, cut out the piece 
(Fig. 135) and taper its upper surface from % inch thick 
at the leading edge to a feather edge at the trailing edge 
(Figs. 136 and 137), and round off its tips and leading 
edge. The elevator has 

Two Dihedrals, as shown in Fig. 139. Score two lines 
across the piece, where located in Fig. 138, fill the scored 
grooves with cement, bend up the tips until the distance 
between them and your working surface is % inch, and 
support them on blocks until the cement has set. 


78 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 



Figs. 133-137.—Cut the Elevator Like This. 

Figs. 138 and 139.—^And Give It Two Dihedral Angles. 


Finishing 

Smooth up the surfaces of the frame, wing, and elevator 
with No. 00 sandpaper, coat with banana oil, and rub 
down after the application with the reverse side of a piece 
of sandpaper. Four coats of banana oil, rubbed down after 
each application, will make a fine finish, and add strength 
to the balsa. It will increase the weight of the model 
somewhat, but weight is not as important a factor in a 
speed model as in one built for duration. 

























A TWIN PUSHER MODEL AIRPLANE 


79 


Mounting the Wing and Elevator 

The wing and elevator are held to the frame with rubber 
bands looped under the frame sticks and over the tips. 
Two rubber bands are needed for the wing, and one for 
the elevator. The correct positions for the wings and 
elevator must be determined by trial. The positions shown 
in Figs. 113 and 115 are only approximate. 

The Propellers 

For the method of carving propellers, read the instruc¬ 
tions given in Chapter VII. Fig. 140 shows the size of 

The Propeller Blanks. Fig. 141 shows the shape of a 
block before carving, and Fig. 142 shows the completed 
propeller. This is 

The Right-Hand Propeller. Use the same procedure in 
carving 

The Left-Hand Propeller, but make the blades op¬ 
posites. The right-hand propeller turns clockwise, the left- 
hand propeller turns counter clockwise. 

Fig. 143 shows one of 

The Propeller Shafts. Shape them out of No. 14 wire. 
Fig. 142 shows a propeller partly mounted upon its shaft. 
Coat the square bend on end with cement, then draw the 
bend into the hub to make it hold fast. 

Use Two Thrust Washers on each propeller shaft. 
Cement one of them to the propeller hub. The little bear¬ 
ings from glass cutters make excellent bearings. Some 
cutters have a battery of five or six wheels. Maybe you 
can pick up a worn-out cutter. 


80 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


One more pair of fittings are required. They are 
The S-Hooks, shown in Fig. 144. The strands of the 




. Figs. 140-142.—Propeller Blank, Before and After Carving. 

Fig. 143.—Propeller Shaft. 

Fig. 144.—Motor S-Hook. 

rubber motors are slipped over them, and they in turn 
engage the eyes of the yoke. 


The Motors 

The TP model has two motors, each of twelve strands 
of ^-inch by %-inch rubber. About 50 feet of rubber are 
















A TWIN PUSHER MODEL AIRPLANE 


81 


required for the two. You may reduce the number of 
strands to eight for each motor, to save on the cost of 
rubber, but this will cut down the speed of the model. 

In installing the motors, run the strands back and forth 
from propeller hook to S-hook, allowing a slack of from 
11/2 to 2 inches, and join the ends with a square knot at 
the propeller hook. 

A Propeller Winder 

While model airplane building was in its infancy, a 
model-builder decided that putting 500 turns into each 
motor was too much work, so he devised an egg-beater 



Fig. 145.—Motor Winder Made of an Egg-Beater. 
Fig. 146.—How Winder is Used on Twin Pusher. 


winder that proved a great time-saver and a means of 
getting more turns in the motors. The name of the in- 

















82 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


ventor is not known, but his ingenious winder is in general 
use, both in manufactured and home-made form. 

A Home-Made Winder is easy to construct. Probably 
you can find a discarded egg-beater of the cast-iron type 
shown in Fig. 145 (dotted lines indicate beater before 
altered). Almost every household has one. If not, buy 
one of the newer type for a dime or two. To make the 
beater into a winder, cut off the loops with a pair of 
tinsnips, and bend the remaining ends into hooks, as shown. 
Punch holes through the loop shanks at the points of cross¬ 
ing the center pivot wire ends, stick the pivot wires through 
the holes, and rivet their ends. It is not much of a trick 
to do this, but if you haven’t the tools, call on a garage 
mechanic. 


Using the Winder 

Remove the S-hooks from the yoke, and slip them over 
the winder hooks. Have an assistant support the model, 
with a propeller in each hand so they may not turn. Take 
a position in line with the point of the tnodel, and back 
step a distance of 3 or 4 feet to stretch the rubber strands. 
By stretching the rubber, it is possible to put a greater 
number of turns into the motors. Five hundred turns are 
enough for a starter, but when you have acquired the knack 
of winding, you will use more. 

To Launch the Model 

take the position of the lad in the photograph of Fig. 114, 
grasping a propeller in each hand. Lift the plane’s nose 


A TWIN PUSHER MODEL AIRPLANE 


83 


into the air, and give the model a slight push to start it 
off at a speed a trifle less than that to be produced by the 
propellers. 

Before driving your plane by its motors, know that it is 
properly tuned, by testing it out as a glider. If it dives at 
a steep angle, move the wing forward. If it climbs, stalls, 
and slips back, move the wing back. 

After you have built the 24-inch twin pusher, try a 
40-inch model such as the lad in Fig. 114 is launching. 




CHAPTER IX 
A PROFILE FUSELAGE 
MODEL AIRPLANE 



Add this dandy ship to your airport. It was designed 
by B. C. Friedman, director of model making of the South 
Parks Playgrounds, Chicago, which is recommendation 
enough. The profile fuselage idea is an invention of Mr. 
Friedman’s. The model looks like a real ship, it flies like 
one, it weighs less than one-sixth ounce, it costs little to 
build, and the assembly is Inuch simpler than that of 
models with fabricated fuselage. If you are not delighted 
with this model, you will be the first of my readers who 
have built it with the PF-29 material kits. 

Materials 

The PF-29 model requires the following: 

1 piece balsa by by 10%" for motor base 

1 piece balsa W by lYi" by 10%" for fuselage 

2 pieces balsa %6" by by 12%" for spars, ribs, and 

wheels 

1 piece balsa %" by %" by 5Y/ for propeller blank 
1 piece bamboo by Mg" for landing-gear 
Japanese tissue paper for fuselage, wing, and tail covering 
No. 8 music wire for metal fittings 
Thrust washers 

20 inches of flat rubber, size M 2 " by % 2 ", for motor 
Cement, and banana oil 


84 







































A PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 85 

Read the suggestions for purchasing materials in Chap¬ 
ter VI, and note the reference to 
A Material Kit for this modeL 




Fig. 147.—Front View of the PF-29 Profile Fuselage Model 
Airplane. 

Fig. 148.—Side View of the PF-29 Model. 


With the material in hand, examine closely the front 
elevation (Fig. 147), the side elevation (Fig. 148), the 
photograph of the completed model (Fig. 182), and read 















86 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


carefully the instructions for shaping parts and assembling 
them. 


The Motor Base 

^ is the first part of the Pr-29 model to shape. It is a balsa 
stick of the dimensions given in Fig. 149. It must be abso¬ 
lutely straight. Smooth its edges jvith No. 00 sandpaper. 



Fig. 149.—Motor Base. 
Fig. 150.—Profile Fuselage. 


The Fuselage 

is hung from the motor base. A pattern is shown in Fig. 
150, ruled off into squares to help you enlarge it. Each 
square represents % inch, so rule off horizontal and vertical 
lines, with a spacing of % inch, upon a sheet of paper, and 
then reproduce the small pattern, line for line. Openings 
are cut in the piece to save weight. Here you need not 
follow the pattern, except to leave enough margin around 
the edges and between openings for rigidity. The long, 
narrow slot in the tail is for the stabilizer. Instead of the 
slot, you can notch the upper edge of the fuselage to the 
right depth for the stabilizer to fit in. It is somewhat easier 
to do this. \ 

When you have laid out the fuselage pattern, transfer 

































































A PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 87 

it to a piece of balsa, and then cut the balsa with your 
razor-blade knife (Fig. 83, Chapter VI). Place the wood 
flat upon a board, and cut as you would score cardboard. 

After sandpapering the surfaces of the fuselage, cover 
both sides with Japanese tissue paper. Apply banana oil 
to the wood, spread the paper smoothly over the surface, 
and press down with a cloth. 

The Wing 

is the next part to prepare. Follow the layout in Fig. 151. 
The sides of the spars and ribs are marked. 

The spars must slope from the center to the tips, to 
give the wing a dihedral angle. The amount of the dihedral 
is indicated in Fig. 152. The method of bending wing 
spars is described on page 62. A wash-in is not indicated 
in Fig. 152, but it is well to give the leading edge of the 
left tip a wash-in of from % to % inch. How to shape the 
wash-in is described on page 63. 

The Ribs may be straight, but they make a more efficient 
wing if cambered. Fig. 153 shows the right amount of 
camber. You can rip out the ribs with the camber on 
them, as shown in Fig. 154, or bend them over the spout of 
a steaming tea-kettle. The rib with the camber cut on it is 
not as strong as the bent rib, because the grain runs across 
it. 

In Assembling the Wing, be careful to make square cor¬ 
ners between the spars and ribs. Cement the parts as in¬ 
structed in Chapter VII, and 

Cover the Wing as described in the same chapter. 


88 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Tail 

The Stabilizer and Elevator are shown in Fig. 155. Cut 
the spars and ribs of the sizes shown, and cement them to¬ 
gether. Then cover the frame upon the upper side with 



Fig. 151.—Plan of Wing. 

Fig. 152.—Block up Spars This Way to Give Wing Correct 
Dihedral Angle. 

Figs. 153 and 154.—Rib Details. 

Fig. 155.—Plan of Stabilizer and Elevator. 

Fig. 156. —Plan of Fin and Rudder. 


Japanese tissue paper. Slip the covered frame into the slot, 
or notched edge of the fuselage, and fasten with cement. 

The Fin and Rudder are shown in detail in Fig. 156. 
Assemble the frame, and cover it on both sides with Japa- 








































































A PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 89 

nese tissue paper. Cement its bottom spar to the upper 
side of the motor base. 

Metal Fittings 

The fittings are to be of No. 8 music wire. Suggestions 
for shaping the wire are given in Chapter VI. 

The Propeller Bearing is shown in Figs. 157 and 158. 
The upper end is hooked to stick into the motor base. The 



Figs. 157-170.—Metal Fittings for the PF-29 Model. 


lower end has an eye just large enough to receive the pro¬ 
peller shaft. This eye should be as nearly round as it is 
possible to make it. 

Instead of the wire hanger, you may use 












































90 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


A Needle Bearing (Fig. 159). Get a needle with an eye 
that is nearly round. Heat it in a gas burner until it is 
red-hot. Hold its ends with two pairs of pliers, and make 
a right-angle bend. Reheat it, and plunge it into water to 
re-temper it. Clip off the end of the needle, and cement 
the bearing to the motor base. 

Fig. 157 suggests a wrapping of cotton thread around the 
bearing and motor base for reinforcement. Coat the thread 
with cement. 

The Rear Motor Hook is shown in Fig. 160. Shape it 
as shown in Fig. 161, with an eye on one end just large 
enough to take the S-hook, and a hook on the other end to 
insert in the motor base. Cetnent it to the base and add a 
turn of thread for reinforcement. 

The S-Hook must be shaped long and slim, as shown 
in Fig. 162, because it fits between the motor base and fu¬ 
selage. Follow the dimensions in Fig. 163 in shaping it. 

The Propeller Shaft is shown in Fig. 164. Shape the 
hook end as shown. Leave the other end straight until 
ready to mount the propeller. 

Washers for thrust bearings should be cut out of very 
thin brass and punched with the point of a phonograph 
needle (Fig. 181). Three washers will do very well for 
this model, one to cement to the propeller hub, the others 
to be free, but two are sufficient. 

Wire Hangers are used to suspend the fuselage from the 
motor base (Fig. 165). Three are required. Fig. 166 
shows how to shape them so they will serve also as motor 
cans. Cement the hangers to the motor base and to the 


A PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 


91 


fuselage, leaving a space of % inch for the motor rubber 
(Fig. 165). 

Wing Clips. The front wing clip (Figs. 167 and 168) 
raises the leading edge about % inch, to give the correct 
angle oj wing setting^ or angle of incidence. The rear wing 
clip (Figs. 169 and 170) holds the wing’s trailing edge to 
the motor base. Bend these clips to make a slip-fit over 
the motor base. Cement them to the center of the wing 
spars. 

The Landing-Gear 

The Struts of the landing-gear are made of a strip of 
bamboo (Fig. 171). Bend the strip over a lighted electric 
lamp bulb, or the flame of a candle. Stick it through the 
fuselage and fasten with cement. 



Fig. 171.—^Landing-Gear Stmt. 

Fig. 172.—^Wire Axle and Shock-Absorber. 
Figs. 173-175.—Wheel Details. 


The Wheels are of balsa, with paper hubs (Fig. 173). 
You can cut them easily with a pair of drawing dividers, or 














92 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


a pair of scissors. Fig. 174 shows the size. Cut the paper 
hubs of the diameter shown in Fig. 175; slit one edge, fold 
them into cones, and cement them to the wheels, with 
centers in line with the wheel center. 

The Wheel Axles are of music wire, which gives the 
resiliency of shock-absorbers. Figs. 171 and 172 show how 
to shape and attach them to the strut ends. Slip bits of 
motor rubber over the axles, one each side of each wheel, to 
hold the wheels in place. 


The Propeller 

This model has a small propeller. Fig. 176 shows 

The Blank, laid out for cutting, and Figs. 177 to 180 
show the steps in carving it. Proceed as instructed in 
Chapter VII. In finishing, reduce the blades to ^-inch 
thickness, and trim down the hub to a width of inch and 
a depth of % inch. Reduce the hub’s thickness on the 
inner or trailing surface. 

In Mounting the propeller, stick the shaft through the 
hub, bend it over, coat the bend with cement, and pull the 
tip down into the hub. Then slip a thrust washer over the 
shaft and cement it to the hub. 


The Motor 

The PF-29 model requires 20 inches of t^ 2 -inch by % 2 - 
inch motor rubber. Make a firm knot in the loop ends, and 
place the knot at the S-hook, and slip the S-hook through 
the eye of the rear motor hook. 


A PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 


93 


Tuning the Model 

Tune the model as instructed for the ID model (Chapter 

VII). 



Figs. 176-181.—Steps in Carving the Propeller. 


Finishing the Cabin 

Fig. 148 of the diagrams and the photograph of Fig. 
182 suggest the placement of cabin windows, and lettering. 


















94 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


These finishing touches may be put on with water-color or 
ink. Some of my readers have cut openings in the tissue 
paper covering of the fuselage and set in pieces of glassene 
paper for glass. The Japanese tissue paper furnished in the 
PF-29 material kit is ready printed with windows. 

Indicate ailerons on the wing, also the division of sta¬ 
bilizer and elevator, and fin and rudder. 



Fig. 182. —A Profile Fuselage Model Airplane, the P F 29. 
It Looks Like a Real Ship, Flies Like One, and Weighs 
Less than One-Sixth Ounce. 



Fig. 183.—Another Profile Fuselage Model Airplane, the P F 30. 
This Larger Baby, with Low Wing, Barely Tips the Scales at 

One-Quarter Ounce. 









7 ^ 



CHAPTER X 


A LOW-WING PROFILE 
FUSELAGE MODEL 
AIRPLANE 



After your PF-29 has demonstrated its good points, 
nothing will stop you from building the PF-30, another de¬ 
sign by B. C. Friedman, inventor of the profile fuselage 
type of model. As you will see by the photograph of Fig. 
183, this model has the low wing of the Junkers Bremen, 
first airplane to make a trans-Atlantic flight from East to 
West. It weighs a trifle more than the PF-29, but, at that, 
barely tips the beam at one-quarter ounce. The profile 
fuselage provides a remarkably fine rudder and makes for 
inherent stability. Indeed, the model has been looped for¬ 
ward and backward, rolled, side slipped, and been put into 
a tailspin, always with the result that it righted itself and 
made a three-point landing. It is a rise-off-the-floor model, 
with a flight duration dependent upon one’s skill in build¬ 
ing, tuning, and launching. 


Materials 

The PF-30 model requires the following: 

1 piece balsa by by 15" for motor base 

1 piece balsa %6" by 2" by 15" for fuselage 

2 pieces balsa by 2" by 18%" for spars, ribs, and wheels 

95 









































96 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


1 piece balsa by % ' by T for propeller blank 

1 piece bamboo 6" long for landing-gear 

Japanese tissue paper for fuselage, wing, and tail covering 

No. 8 music wire for metal fittings 

Thrust washers 

28 inches of flat rubber, size % 2 " by for motor 
Cement, and banana oil 

Read the suggestions for purchasing materials, in Chap¬ 
ter VI, and note the reference to 
A Material Kit for this model. 

Fig. 184 shows the front elevation, and Fig. 185 the side 
elevation, of the PF-30 model. 




■fi-i'WASn-lN ON- 
-LFJ«0>NG'E0Ce 
OF LErr- 

WING TIP 


Fig. 184.—Front View of the PF-30 Model. 
Fig. 185.—Side View of the PF-30 Model. 


The Motor Base 

is shown in Fig. 186. It must be absolutely straight, and 








LOW-WING PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 97 

its surfaces must be finished smooth with No. 00 sand¬ 
paper. Round the ends as shown. 



Fig. 186.—Motor Base. 
Fig. 187.—Profile Fuselage. 


The Fuselage 

is mounted above the motor base. A pattern is given in 
Fig. 187. Make a full-size pattern, enlarging the small one 
with the aid of the squares. Draw five horizontal lines % 
inch apart, and cross them with thirty-one vertical lines 
% inch apart, which will produce a series of squares similar 
to those of the pattern, but drawn full-size. Then lay out 
upon the large squares the outline of the fuselage just as 
it is shown upon the small squares. Openings are indicated 
to save weight. It is not necessary to locate them exactly 
as shown, but enough margin must be left around the edges 
and between openings for rigidity. The slot shown in the 
lower edge of the tail is for the stabilizer. 

Having laid out the fuselage upon heavy paper or card¬ 
board, cut it out, and mark out around it upon a piece of 
balsa. Cut the balsa with your razor-blade knife (Fig. 83, 
Chapter VI). Place the wood flat upon a board, and cut 
as you would score cardboard. 



























































98 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Sandpaper the sides and edges of the fuselage, then cover 
both sides with Japanese tissue paper. Apply banana oil 
to the wood, spread the paper smoothly over the surface, 
and press it down with a cloth. 

The Wing 

is shown in plan in Fig. 188, and its trailing edge is shown 
in Fig. 189. Cut 

The Spars of the sizes marked, then steam them pre¬ 
paratory to bending. The amount of the dihedral angle is 



Fig. 188.—Plan of Wing. 

Fig. 189.—Trailing Edge of Wing. 

Fig. 190.—Block up Spars This Way to Give Wing Correct 
Dihedral Angle. 

Fig. 191.—Rib Details. 

indicated in Fig. 190, also the wash-in on the left half of 
the leading-edge spar. The trailing-edge spar must be bent 
two ways, as you will note. The bending of the spars is 







































LOW-WING PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 99 


described in Chapter VII. When they have been bent, 
make the bends permanent with a drop of cement applied 
to both sides. 

The Ribs are nine in number, of the thickness and width 
marked in Fig. 188. The center rib is 3% inches long, the 
end ribs are 2^ inches long, and the intermediate ribs are 
of lengths determined by the slant of the trailing-edge spars 
(Figs. 188 and 191). The center rib is straight, the other 
ribs have a camber of inch. Steam over the spout of a 
tea-kettle, to make them pliable for bending. 

Assemble and Cover the Wing as described for the ID 
model in Chapter VII. 


The Tail 

The Stabilizer and Elevator are shown in detail in Figs. 
192 and 193. Cut the spars and ribs of the sizes marked. 
In assembling, set the ribs between the spars, instead of 
lapping them. The right tip of the trailing edge of the ele¬ 
vator must have a slight warp, as indicated in Fig. 193. 
This warp can be produced after the frame has been as¬ 
sembled, by steaming the trailing-edge spar, and exerting a 
slight upward pressure with your fingers. 

Cover the frame upon the upper surface. Then slip a 
stick of the size of a rib between the paper and the 
diagonal rib on the right tip, as shown. By adjusting this 
batten forward or backward, the warp of the tip may be in¬ 
creased or decreased. 

Mounting. Center the stabilizer and elevator in the 
fuselage recess, and cement it. 


100 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Fin and Rudder are shown in Figs. 194 to 196. 
Frame this piece as you did the stabilizer and elevator. 
The rudder must be warped % inch to the left, as shown in 
the top and front views (Figs. 195 and 196), to offset the 
torque of the propeller, and an adjustable batten must be 



and Elevator. 

Figs. 194-196.—Side, Front, and Top of Fin and Rudder. 


inserted between the tissue paper covering and the diagonal 
rib, as in Fig. 194, by which to increase or decrease the warp. 
Because the fin and rudder are covered on both sides, a slit 
must be made in the tissue paper, as shown in Fig. 185, 
through which to slip a pin for the purpose of adjusting the 
batten. 

To Mount the fin and rudder, notch the upper edge of 
the fuselage, and cement the frame sticks into the notches. 

The Covering of the fuselage, fin, and rudder can be put 
on at one time, using one piece for each side. 





























LOW-WING PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 101 


Metal Fittings 

The fittings require No. 8 music wire, a pair of round¬ 
nosed pliers, patience, and accuracy. If you lack patience 
or accuracy, practice in shaping the metal parts will help 
you to acquire it. 

The Propeller Bearing (Figs. 197 and 198) is also a 
hanger for the motor base. Shape the propeller eye round. 




and just large enough for a No. 8-wire propeller shaft. 
Coat the end tips with cement, and push them into the 
edges of the fuselage and motor base; also cement the 
straight sides in place. 
































102 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Rear Motor Hook is similar to the propeller bear¬ 
ing (Figs. 199 and 200), except in the twist of the eye for 
the motor S-hook. 

Two Intermediate Hangers are required. They are 
shown in Figs. 201 and 202. Notice that they are bent to 
form cans for the motor rubber. In mounting, run the 
lower loop through the motor base, and cement the tips to 
the sides of the fuselage. 

The S-Hook must be shaped long and slim, as shown in 
Fig. 203, because it fits between the fuselage and motor 
base. 

The Propeller Shaft is shown in Fig. 204. Shape a hook 
on one end, and leave the other end straight until the pro¬ 
peller is ready for mounting. 

Thrust Washers should be cut out of very thin brass 
and punched with the point of a phonograph needle. You 
can use three, one to cement to the propeller hub, the other 
two to be free. But two are sufficient. 

Wing Clips. There are two wing clips, shaped out of 
No. 8 music wire. A sketch and a dimensioned diagram 
of each are shown. The front wing clip (Figs. 205 and 206) 
holds the leading edge of the wing close to the motor base. 
The rear wing clip (Figs. 207 and 208) supports the trail¬ 
ing edge at a point about % inch below the motor base, 
producing the correct angle of wing setting. Bend the 
upper loop of these clips so they knee-in, with just enough 
space between the knees to make a slip-fit over the motor 
base. Cement the foot loops of the clips to the wing spars, 
as shown in Fig. 189. 


LOW-WING PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 103 


The Landing-Gear 

Figs. 184 and 185 show front and side views of the land¬ 
ing-gear. Cut 

The Struts of bamboo of the sizes given in Fig. 209. 
Point the upper ends to stick into the fuselage and motor 
base. Cement them in place. Bring the lower ends to¬ 
gether and cement them. 



Fig. 214.—Tail Skid. 

The Wheel Axles are of wire (Fig. 210). They also 
form 














104 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Shock-Absorbers. Coil the upper ends about the 
struts, and fasten in place with a drop of cement. 

The Wheels are of balsa (Fig. 211), with hubs of Vie-inch 
brass tubing (Figs. 212 and 213). Coat the hubs with 
cement, and center them in holes made through the wheel 
centers. Slip bits of motor rubber over the axles to hold 
the wheels in place. 

The Tail Skid is of bamboo (Figs. 185 and 214). Ce¬ 
ment it in a hole in the motor stick. 

The Propeller 

This ship has a 7-inch propeller. Fig. 215 shows 

The Blank laid out for cutting, and Figs. 216 to 219 
show the steps in carving it. Propeller carving is fully de¬ 



scribed in Chapter VII. In finishing, reduce the blades to 
about 1^2 inch, by rubbing with sandpaper, and reduce the 
width of the hub to Vie inch, and its thickness to about 
% inch. Cut away the hub on the leading face, rather 




















LOW-WING PROFILE FUSELAGE MODEL AIRPLANE 105 


than on the trailing face, so the blades will clear the fu¬ 
selage. 

Mount the propeller as shown in Fig. 219. Slip the shaft 
through the hub, bend over the straight end, daub it with 
cement, and pull this hooked end into the hub, embedding 
it in the balsa. 


The Motor 

The PF-30 model requires 28 inches of 1^2-inch by % 2 - 
inch motor rubber. Make a firm knot and place the knot 
at the S-hook, as indicated in Fig. 203, and the S-hook in 
the rear motor hook. 

Tuning the Model 

Follow the instructions in Chapter VII for tuning. 

Finishing the Cabin 

The placement of windows, radiator, and lettering is sug¬ 
gested in Figs. 183 and 185. You may add these finishing 
touches with water-color or ink. In the PF-30 material kit, 
the windows and other fitments are ready printed upon 
Japanese tissue paper. 

DonT neglect to indicate ailerons on the wing, and the 
division of stabilizer and elevator, and fin and rudder. 



Builders of efficient flying models may not be so suc¬ 
cessful in fashioning their first scale model. The jobs are 
distinctly different. In the one, the object is to produce a 
model capable of record flights. Weight is of first con¬ 
sideration. In the other, the object is to produce a model 
that follows closely the design of a real ship. Weight is 
of little or no consideration. 

Your flying model of the fuselage type may have the 
general lines of an airplane, but you are handicapped by 
small choice of materials, and by proportions dictated by 
conditions not met with by builders of large planes. The 
first noticeable difference between the average flying model 
and the true scale model is that the propeller of the flying 
model is out of proportion. It must be larger. Next, a 
difference in wing placement is discovered. To offset the 
lack of weight at the cowling, due to the absence of a 
motor it is necessary to set the wing farther back on the 
fuselage. These matters are of little importance to one 
satisfied with a model that flies, but they will disqualify 
your model for the class of exhibition scale models. 

When building a flying model, you will follow an estab- 

106 



































SCALE MODEL AIRPLANES 


107 


lished design, and use approved materials and methods of 
construction, unless you have reached the stage in your 
model-making career where you are beset with the desire 
to create a new type. But when you undertake 

A True Scale Model you will have considerable pioneer¬ 
ing to do. For, having selected the ship you wish to build, 
you must find plans for it, or work out your own plans 
from such pictures and such data as you can lay hands on. 
You must select materials best adapted to the various 
parts of the model, and, last but not least, you must devise 
methods of shaping and assembling them. Such work as 
this draws upon a fellow’s imagination, and usually brings 
out a lot of unsuspected ingenuity. 

When you have acquired the skill to build models that 
fly, you will have learned a great deal about aerodynamics, 
and when you have dug up the information necessary to 
build true scale models there will be little about the con¬ 
struction of ships and their parts with which you are not 
acquainted. 


Contest Scale Models 

A well-built scale model will win for you prizes and 
honors, in local and national tournaments. At present 
there is a scale model event in the annual contests at 
Detroit, conducted by The American Boy and the Air¬ 
plane Model League of America,” there are occasional con¬ 
tests conducted by scientific magazines, and there is an 
annual contest conducted by The Boy Craftsman League 
and a group of boys’ weeklies. 


108 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The photographs facing page 122 are of some of the prize¬ 
winning scale models entered in a recent Boy Craftsman 
Model-Making Contest/^ They are well-proportioned 
models, complete in detail. On following pages are notes 
on their construction. 

Sources of Data for Scale Models 

It is comparatively easy to gather data for an airplane 
model. Pictures are plentiful in magazines and newspaper 
supplements, especially pictures of ships that are in the 
public eye, ships that are establishing new records. Illus¬ 
trated literature on planes is gladly supphed by manufac¬ 
turers^ publicity departments. And there are opportunities 
at airports to make observations, and to get first-hand 
information from pilots—veritable flying encyclopedias on 
airplane types, who abound in patience with air-minded 
boys. 

Scale Drawings of the ship to be built should be obtained 
if possible. Model supply houses list them. The “Airplane 
Model League of America,’^ collaborating with The 
American Boy, has issued full-size plans, elevations, and 
airfoil sections for a group of 24-inch models, and through 
the courtesy of secretary Merrill Hamburg of the League, 
and managing editor George F. Pierrot of The American 
Boy, it has been made possible to present you with 
quarter-size reproductions of three sets of these drawings 
in this chapter. The drawings are supplemented with 
photographs of the real ships supplied by the Mahoney- 
Ryan Aircraft Corporation, Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor 



Fig. 220.—Colonel Lindbergh’s Ryan Monoplane, “ Spirit of St. Louis.” 



Fig. 221.—Side View of the Curtiss Army Hawk Biplane. 



Fig. 222.—Front View of the Ford Tri-Motor Cabin Monoplane. 



Fig. 223.—Side View of the Ford Tri-Motor Cabin Monoplane. 








M *^^*1 4 

■£.%'■- 



- V- .« , '. 

t f . '- T ■ 


' *! -. . n» ;,.>■ ■■^- 4 

.• '’-■ h'T'>. *-S?T " 'il?*-1‘A-- i 



SCALE MODEL AIRPLANES 


109 


Company, and Ford Motor Company. Togethej with the 
accompanying suggestions for building, they should enable 
you to turn out three excellent models. 

First, is presented the Ryan monoplane 

The Spirit of St. Louis 

To-day’s favorite types of planes will be replaced by 
other favorites for model-making, as improved types are 
developed, but the Spirit of St. Louis,” first to cross the 
Atlantic, shall always merit a place in every boy’s collec¬ 
tion, as the Santa Maria ” of the air, just as its intrepid 
pilot. Colonel Lindbergh, shall always rank high in every 
boy’s list of heroes. 

The Spirit of St. Louis ” is of 

The Best Type for Beginners, because of its simple lines. 
Study the photograph (Fig. 220), the plan (Fig. 224), and 
the elevations (Figs. 225 and 226), and you will note the 
lack of complicated parts. The plans are for a model with 
a 24-inch wing span, and they are shown reduced to one- 
quarter size. 

The Fuselage can be carved out of a solid block of wood, 
just as the airplane weathervane in the photograph of Fig. 
375 was carved, but with greater attention to details. The 
windows may be painted upon the sides of the fuselage, 
but it is a simple job to notch the upper edge of the block, 
then set in pieces of clear photograph film or mica for glass. 

If you prefer to build up the fuselage, read the sugges¬ 
tions given for the Curtiss Hawk model. 

The Wing may also be shaped out of a solid piece of 



110 


































































Ill 


Fig. 226.— Side Elevation for a Model of the “Spirit of St. Louis. 

(Scale % inch equals 1 inch.) 












































































112 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


wood. The shaping will be easy, because, as you will see, 
there is but one wing section (Fig. 227). In shaping the 
solid fuselage and the solid wing, prepare templets just as 



Fig. 227.—Full-Size Wing Section for a Model of the “Spirit 
of St. Louis.” (See Plan in Fig. 224.) 


you would for shaping the hull of a yacht. Suggestions for 
making and using templets are given in Chapter XVI. The 
solid wing can be made to look like a built up wing by 
following the plan of Harold Franklin described among the 
suggestions for building a Curtiss Hawk. 

Cut away the wing to admit the ailerons, then hinge the 
cut away pieces in place with tiny hinges or wire loops. 

The Stabilizer, Elevators, Fin and Rudder can be made 
of thin wood or sheet metal, and the hinged parts can be 
attached with wire loops. 

The Landing-Gear wheels, struts, and shock-absorbers 
are shown in detail in the diagrams. The wheels may be 
taken from a toy wagon, the struts may be made of wood 
or metal, the shock-absorbers carved out of wooden blocks. 

The Whirlwind Motor has nine cylinders. These can be 
built up of pieces of dowel sticks and matches, pairs of 
brads with fine wire wound upon them, or carved out of 
blocks of wood. 

The Propeller can be carved out of any block of straight- 
grained wood that cuts easily, just as you carve propellers 




SCALE MODEL AIRPLANES 


113 


for flying models. The spinner cap may be built up of 
plastic wood, or may be the top of a talcum-powder can 
of the right shape and size. 

Finish the Model with two or three coats of radiator 
aluminum paint. The mottled cowl and spinner cap, a 
distinguishing feature of the “ Spirit of St. Louis,^’ may be 
imitated by stippling the surfaces with 'plastic wood before 
painting. When the paint has dried, add such fitments as 
the control horns and wires, earth-inductor compass, and 
air-speed indicator. With black paint add the lettering 
shown in Fig. 226, upon the sides of the cowl and rudder, 
and the symbol shown in Fig. 224 on the top of the right 
half, and on the bottom of the left half of the wing. The 
symbol N-X-211 identifies the ship in this way. “N 
stands for U. S. Registered.^’ “ X ” signifies Experi¬ 
mental Ship.” ^^211” is the registration number of the 
Department of Commerce. The letters NYP ” are ab¬ 
breviations for ^^New York to Paris.” 

The Curtiss Army Hawk 

This swift pursuit ship of the army, with a speed of 160 
miles an hour, is one of the most popular ships among 
model-makers. The work is more difficult than that on a 
monoplane type of model, and for that reason it is more 
creditable to complete a good model of it. 

The photograph (Fig. 221) gives an idea of what the 
ship looks like when down, the plan (Fig. 228), and the 
elevations (Figs. 229 and 230), give the necessary dimen¬ 
sions for a 24-inch model, reduced to one-quarter size. If 





114 























































































115 


Fig. 230.—Side Elevation for a 
Model of the Curtiss Army Hawk. 
(Scale H inch equals 1 inch.) 






































































































116 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


you want a larger or a smaller model, you will have no 
difficulty in changing the dimensions to keep the correct 
proportions. 

The Fuselage can be carved out of a solid block of wood, 
or built up with longerons, braced and covered. The 
photograph of Fig. 237 shows an excellent model with 
fuselage of brass tubing with soldered joints, built by 
Norman F. Zapf. A top view photograph of the fuselage 
is shown in Fig. 238, a side elevation in Fig. 239. The 
framework contains the same number of pieces as are built 
into the real ship. Instead of tubing, you can use No. 8 
iron wire, which is about % inch in diameter. Build up 
the cockpit cowling, coaming, and head rest as shown in 
the photograph of Fig. 239. 

The Tail Group also can be solid or built up. In the 
photographs of Figs. 238 and 239 you will notice that the 
frameworks are of tubing, like the fuselage. 

The Wings are of two sizes, as you will see by Figs. 228 
and 230, and they vary in thickness and chord. Note the 
angles of the wing setting, and that the upper wing is 
placed in advance of the lower wing. Sections for the 
upper wing are given in Fig. 231, and sections for the 
lower wing are given in Fig. 232. As they are shown full- 
size for a 24-inch model, you can make tracings of them 
for working templets. 

The wings of the model in the photograph of Fig. 237 
are built up with wooden ribs and spars. The photograph 
of Fig. 238 shows the lower wing in place. The wings have 
the same number of ribs as the wings of the real ship. 


SCALE MODEL AIRPLANES 


117 


But you can shape wings out of boards, as those of Harold 
Franklin’s model, shown in Fig. 240, were shaped. Harold 
made his wings look 
built up by gluing 
lengths of thread to 
the upper surface, 
with the correct spac¬ 
ing for ribs, then cov¬ 
ering with China silk. 

The Landing-Gear 
can be built with 
metal or wooden 
struts, and toy wheels. 

The Covering of 
fuselage and wings is 
one of the most im¬ 
portant parts of the 
construction. Careless 
application will offset 
all of the fine work¬ 
manship that may 
have gone into the 
framework. Take 
enough time to do a 
first-class job of cover- 

ing, and yO“ 231 and 232.—Full-Size Wing Sec- 

regret it. Muslin or tions for a Model of the Curtiss Army 

linen can be used, with Hawk. (See Plan in Fig. 228.) 
a commercial airplane dope for adhesive. 





















118 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Finishing the Hawk will give you a chance to demon¬ 
strate your ability with a brush. With it you can make 
or ruin the model. Brushing lacquer will be found satis¬ 
factory for small surfaces such as those of the Curtiss 
Hawk model, and it has quick drying in its favor. Use an 
army khaki color for all surfaces except those of the rud¬ 
der. The rudder should have a vertical stripe of blue, 
seven horizontal stripes of red, and six horizontal stripes 
of white. The insignia for the under side of the lower 
wing tips is a white star inscribed upon a disk of blue, with 
a red disk within it. 

Other Fitments. Suggestions for the construction of 
only the main portions of the ship have been given in the 
above paragraphs. Here are some miscellaneous sugges¬ 
tions. Make the gun barrels and exhaust pipes of metal 
tubing or lemonade straws. Use brass tubing, dowel sticks, 
lolly-pop sticks, or meat skewers for struts. Make the 
radiator front of corrugated cardboard. Line the cockpit, 
and upholster the seat and head rest with pieces cut from 
an old pair of kid gloves. 

Norman F. Zapf introduced these features to complete 
his model shown in Figs. 237 to 239. A dummy twelve- 
cylinder motor, run by an auto-horn motor. A hack-saw 
blade fastened to the fuselage, vibrated by a lug on the 
shaft to produce the noise of motor exhaust. A gas tank. 
An instrument board with dummy instruments, pilot seat 
with safety belt, and fire extinguisher. A joy-stick that 
operates the ailerons and elevators, and pedals that operate 
the rudder. 


SCALE MODEL AIRPLANES 


119 


Part of the fun in building a scale model is in devising 
equipment. It is surprising what can be found in a junk 
pile and in ten-cent stores that is readily adapted to models. 

The photograph in Fig. 241 shows a Curtiss Hawk model 
built by Garfield D. Hay. 

The Ford Tri-Motor Cabin Monoplane 
As one of the first successful American passenger air¬ 
planes, the Ford Tri-Motor is popular with model-makers. 
Front and side views of the ship are shown in the photo¬ 
graphs of Figs. 222 and 223. A quarter-size plan of a 
24-inch model is shown in Fig. 233, and a front and a side 
elevation are shown in Figs. 234 and 235. The real ship 
is built of duralumin. It has five compartments, the con¬ 
trol cabin, observation compartment, main cabin, wash¬ 
room, and luggage compartment. In addition to the small 
windows in the front and sides of the control cabin, there 
are four windows and a door on the right side of the main 
cabin and five windows on the left side, and a circular 
window on each side of the washroom. 

The Fuselage of this ship may be built up or hollowed 
out of a solid block. The scale model shown in the photo¬ 
graph of Fig. 242 was built by Cedric E. Galloway. It is 
a well-proportioned model. Cedric carved the fuselage out 
of a block of basswood, sawed it in half, and hollowed out 
the halves to form the five compartments. Then he cut 
the windows, and fitted pieces of film in the openings. He 
carved the pilot chairs, passenger chairs, and two bunks 
out of wooden blocks, and glued them in position. Then 


OOSi 



120 


Fig. 233. —Plan for a Model of the Ford Tri- 
Motor Cabin Monoplane, With Wing Span 
of 24 inches. (Scale Vi inch equals 1 inch.) 



































































<u o 


T|5l 

On* 
a> 

• tl 

Sh C o 

2H.a 


lO 

CO 

(N 


c3 


o 




121 




















































































122 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Fig. 236.— FuU- 
Size Wing Sections 
for a Model of 
the Ford Tri-Motor. 
(See Plan in Fig. 
233.) 



he painted the compartments with 
aluminum paint, and the chairs yellow, 
and glued the fuselage halves together. 

You can cover the sides of the fuse¬ 
lage with corrugated strawboard in 
imitation of the corrugated duralumin 
inclosure of the real ship, but you must 
make a neat job of it. Glue or cement 
the strawboard to the fuselage, with the 
corrugations running horizontally, then 
give the surfaces a coat of shellac and 
two coats of aluminum paint. You will 
be surprised how closely the painted 
strawboard will resemble corrugated 
duralumin. 

The Wing may be solid or built up. 
Fig. 236 shows the wing sections drawn 
full-size, ready to trace for the making 
of templets. 

As the plan and elevations have been 
reproduced one-quarter size, you can 
easily determine dimensions not given 
by using a ruler and multiplying the 
measurements by four. 

Use of Scale Models 

There is as much to be admired in 
your well-proportioned, carefully built 
airplane model, as in a galleon or other 










Fig. 242.—Model of Ford Tri-Motor Built by Cedric E. Galloway. 
Fig. 241.—Another Model of Curtiss Hawk, Built by Garfield D. Hay. 
Fig. 240.—Model of Curtiss Hawk Built by Harold Franklin. 

Fig. 239.—Side Elevation of Curtiss Hawk Model. 

Fig. 2.38.—Plan of Curtiss Hawk Model. 

Fig. 237.—Model of Curtiss Hawk Built by Norman F. Zapf. 





SCALE MODEL AIRPLANES 


123 


type of ship model. And if it has won a ribbon at an ex¬ 
hibition, so much more to your credit. Ask Mother to give 
it a place upon the mantel shelf, or to permit you to sus¬ 
pend it from a screw-eye screwed into the ceiling. If you 
have a room in the attic, where you can put up hangers 
without limit, there will be a fine opportunity to make an 
interesting display of scale models. The photographs of 
Figs. 241 and 242 show a Curtiss Hawk and a Ford Tri- 
Motor suspended out of doors! Boy! Don’t they look 
real wdth the sky as a background! 



CHAPTER XII 

A GALLEON SHIP 
MODEL 


It used to be every boy^s ambition to excel in drawing 
pictures of ships. Now, the interest has turned to building 
and rigging ship models, and the work has proved so 
fascinating that, with the completion of one model, a fellow 
is usually spurred on to build other types. Melville 
Schmuldt, builder of the Spanish galleon shown in the 
photograph of Fig. 243, has several models to his credit. 
So has Leonard Fienberg, builder of the fine model shown 
in the photograph of Fig. 244. 


The Materials 

required for making ship models can be picked up at home, 
for the most part, therefore, the cost involved in this 
hobby amounts to little or nothing. And a small tool outfit 
such as that needed for building model airplanes (Figs. 
62-76) is sufficient. Melville Schmuldt^s galleon is of wood 
construction, with picture-molding trimming, spool, cork, 
and button-mold lanterns, dowel-stick masts with half¬ 
spool crow's nests, wrapping-paper sails, and fishing-line 
rigging. This is the way he built it. 





































Fig. 243.—Galleon Built by Melville Schmuldt. 



Fig. 244.—Galleon Built by Leonard Fienberg 




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A GALLEON SHIP MODEL 


125 


The Hull 

Fig. 245 shows a pattern for 

The Keel Center-Piece. It was laid out by the given 





Fig. 245.—^Keel Center-Piece. 

Fig. 246.—Bow Blocks, Molds and Stem Piece, Assembled. 

Fig. 247.—Hull Sheathed, With Deck in Place, Ready for Building the 
Superstructure. 


































































126 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


dimensions on a piece of board % inch thick, then sawed 
out to the outlines, and the curved bow finished with a file 
and sandpaper. 

The Bow. A pair of curved blocks completed the shap¬ 
ing of the bow of the hull (B, Fig. 246). The pair were 

cut out of a block 4 
inches wide, 4 inches 
high, and 5 inches long. 
Fig. 248 shows a cross- 
section. The outline 
was drawn upon op¬ 
posite ends of the block. 
The block was planed 
to this form, then the 
bow profile was marked 
off upon the sides, the 
block cut to the line, 
and tapered off to an 
edge about % ii^ch 
thick. The block was 
then ripped in half, and 
the halves nailed to the 
sides of the keel center- 
piece A. 

The Stern Piece is 
shown in the pattern 
of Fig. 249. It was 
notched on the bottom 
to fit over the keel 



,n 




-3'^— 

2 4 


F 

lo 


1 

nJ 

J 


252) 


Fig. 248.—Cross-Section of Bow Blocks. 
Fig. 249.—Stern-Piece Pattern. 

Figs. 250 and 251.—Bulkhead Patterns. 
Fig, 252,—Deck-Piece Pattern, 














































A GALLEON SHIP MODEL 127 

center-piece, and nailed to the projection at the stern (Figs. 
245 and 246). 

Three Bulkheads were set up between the bow and stern 
to fasten the sides of the hull to (D, D and E, Fig. 246). 
Patterns for these pieces are shown in Figs. 250 and 251. 
Their spacing was determined by 

The Main Deck (F, Fig. 252). This was notched to fit 
over the ends of the bulkheads. 

The Sides of the Hull were sheathed with strips of %- 
inch ply veneer cut % inch wide. If you cannot get ply 
wood for the purpose, rip laths, lattice strips, or box boards 
into pieces of the right width, then rip each in half in its 
thickness. To make the sawed strips pliable for bending, 
soak them in water for a few minutes. 

Sheathing the hull required careful workmanship, for the 
edges of the strips had to be butted against one another, 
without overlapping, and without leaving wide joints, and 
the bow ends had to be fitted neatly against the keel 
center-piece (Fig. 247). The strips were fastened with 
brads and glue. Then the surfaces were gone over with a 
file and sandpaper, and projecting edges reduced, to make 
the sides round and even. 

The Superstructure 

Decks G and H are shown in Fig. 253 overlapping the 
ends of main deck F. When these had been fitted in place, 

The Bulwarks I, J, and K were cut and fastened to the 
hull. Complete dimensions are not given, but you will 
have no trouble figuring out what they should be by study- 


128 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


ing the diagrams and the photograph of Fig. 243. A little 
variance in detail will not matter, because this model and 
most of those that you see in stores and on home mantels, 



Fig. 253.—Details of Decks and Bulwarks. 

Fig. 254.—Rudder Block. 

Fig. 255.—Finishing Details of Superstructure. 
Fig. 256.—Stern Elevation. 

Fig. 257.—Panel Brackets. 

Fig. 258.—Railing. 

Figs . 259-261.—Lanterns. 

Fig. 262.—Cannon. 


unfortunately, are not correctly proportioned. They are 
built as ornamental models, not as exact copies of any 
ships that ever sailed the seas. A different project this, 


















































































































A GALLEON SHIP MODEL 


129 


from building a scale model of an airplane, yacht, or 
automobile, with which almost everybody is well enough 
acquainted to discover irregularities. 

Decks L, N, and P. When deck L had been laid, bul¬ 
warks M were cut and set in place, with tops sloping to¬ 
ward one another, as shown in Fig. 256, and a stern piece 
was set in between them. Then deck N was added, and 
bulwarks O fastened upon it, sloping as shown in Fig. 256. 
Deck P came next, then its bulwarks, and then the cabin 
bulkhead. 

Doors and Windows were drawn upon paper, cut out 
and glued to the wood. 

Panelling upon the sides and stern of the ship was, 
formed by horizontal moldings, for which picture molding 
answered the purpose admirably. Screen molding and 
weather strips might also be used to advantage. Between 
the moldings are brackets. They were cut out of thin wood. 
Fig. 257 shows the shapes to cut them. Make a card¬ 
board pattern or templet, of each, mark out the number 
that you will need upon a board, and saw out with a coping- 
saw. The turned ball on the large brackets may be a glass 
or wooden bead. 

The Stern Balcony Railing (Fig. 256), and the railings 
upon the upper deck, were made of narrow strips of wood, 
with beads fastened between them with pins (Fig. 258). 

Lanterns. The upper lanterns were made of a tapered 
cork, a spool end and a bead, assembled as shown in Fig. 
259. Fig. 260 shows a lantern bracket. The large stern 
lanterns were made of a spool 2 inches long, a spool end 


130 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


and a bead (Fig. 261). Glass in the lantern sides was 
imitated by cutting recesses and setting in pieces of red 
and green tinfoil. 

Cannon were made of the wooden end-piece that comes 
on toy balloons (Fig. 262), and were glued in holes bored 
in the model. But you can whittle cannon out of small 
sticks, and drill holes in their ends. 

Painting 

The colors used in painting the model are indicated in 
Fig. 255. The idea, of course, is to have contrasting colors. 
Oil paint, enamel, or lacquer may be used. The advantage 
of lacquer is that it dries rapidly. You can brush it on 
small surfaces without danger of showing laps. Radiator 
bronze was used for gold trimmings. 

Rigging the Galleon 

The Masts are shown in detail in Figs. 263 to 265. They 
were made of %-inch dowel sticks, tapered to % inch in 
diameter at the tops, the tapering being done with a file. 
Spool ends formed the crow's nests. The diagrams show 
the masts’ lengths above decks. Allow enough additional 
length so they will extend through the decks to the keel. 

The Bowsprit is shown in Fig. 266. 

The Yards, or horizontal pieces to which the sails are 
attached, were cut 1 inch longer than the width of the 
sails. 

The Sails were made of brown wrapping-paper. Figs. 
267 to 273 give their dimensions. Each sail had to belly 


A GALLEON SHIP MODEL 


131 


out as indicated in Fig. 273. To make them hold this 
shape, the paper was coated with shellac, then wire was 
run through hems formed in the edges to stiffen them. 
Before shellacking, a cross and other decorations were 
painted on the sails. 



Figs. 263-266.—Spar Details. 
Figs. 267-273.—Sail Details. 


The Rigging was made of fishing line, fine and coarse. 
Glass beads were used for dead eyes, small tacks for fasten¬ 
ing the rigging. The stays, shrouds, ratlines, halyards, and 
sheets are too many to show clearly upon the diagrams. 
You will see some of them in the photographs of Figs. 243 
and 244, but for a complete diagram with parts designated 
by name, I suggest that you look up “ship^^ in a dic¬ 
tionary. 


































132 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


For plans for other ship models, look up at the public 
library Ship Model Making,Volumes 1, 2, and 3, by 
Captain E. Armitage McCann. 

A Base for Your Ship Model 
A well-made ship model deserves a base that will be in 
keeping with it. Use mahogany or walnut, if you can get 
it, and finish with a coat of shellac and several coats of 
varnish. Or use pine, basswood, or other wood with close 
grain, and finish with lacquer in color. 




The base that supports Leonard Fienberg^s galleon 
model, shown in the photograph of Fig. 244, is easy to 
make. Fig. 274 shows a line drawing of it, and Fig. 275 













A GALLEON SHIP MODEL 


133 


shows a cross-section with dimensions of the cradle blocks. 
The width of the blocks was determined by the size of 
the ship’s hull. The thickness was % inch. The blocks 
were cut with a coping-saw, then sandpapered smooth. 

The bottom board measures 4% inches wide and 7 
inches long. It was cut out of a board % inch thick, and 
its upper edges were bevelled with a plane. The cradle 
blocks were located at equal distances from the edges of 
the base block, and fastened with glue and brads. Then 
the wood was finished, and four rubber-tipped tacks were 
driven into the under side, at the corners, to protect sur¬ 
faces on which the model would stand. 




CHAPTER XIII 
INSTALLING A RADIO 


Installing a radio is simple enough, granted the as¬ 
sembly has passed inspection. But some people cannot do 
the most ordinary mechanical job, others will not, and it 
is lucky for you that they cannot or will not, because it 
affords you an occasional opportunity to earn money in 
an interesting field of work. After you have qualified for 
the job by installing a set at home, let your ambition be 
known. 


The Aerial 

will be the first part of the job. After tests of every con¬ 
ceivable form of aerial, the single wire of a length between 
50 and 75 feet is accepted as being as efficient as any, and, 
while there are differences of opinion on minor details, it 
is generally agreed that the essential requirement is an 
unbroken path of metal from the far end of the aerial 
down through the lead-in wire, the set, and the ground 
wire, to moist earth. Therefore, one length of wire (seven- 
strand copper aerial wire) from the extreme end of the 
aerial to the set, properly supported on insulators, is a 

134 































INSTALLING A RADIO 


135 


better rig than separate aerial and lead-in, unless a perfect 
soldered connection can be made. 

The Aerial Supports may be determined by local condi¬ 
tions. It may be necessary to extend the aerial over a 
roof-top, in which case a chimney becomes the natural 
support for one end, and possibly a chimney on an adjoin¬ 
ing building the support for the second end. But where it 
can be done, it is better to run the aerial wire over 
cleared ground than over a roof-top or other obstruction. 
The receiver building may be one support, and a second 
building, a tree, or an iron pipe mast may be the other 
support. The farther support should be high enough to 
make its end of the wire of the same height as or higher 
than the near end (Fig. 276). 



An Iron-Pipe Mast is not expensive, and not difficult to 






























































136 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 



Fig. 277.—Pipe Mast for Aerial. 
Figs. 278 and 279. — Pipe for Mast. 
Fig. 280.—Pipe Cap for Mast Top. 
Fig. 281.—^Eye-Bolt. 

Fig. 282. — Pulley for Rope Halyard. 
Fig. 283.—Halyard Cleat. 













































INSTALLING A RADIO 


137 


erect (Fig. 277). You can buy galvanized iron pipe in 
standard lengths of 20 feet, threaded on both ends, with a 
coupler on one end (Fig. 278), at a hardware store. Two 
lengths of 1-inch or 1^-inch pipe will usually be sufficient, 
allowing 24 or 30 inches for ground anchorage. In addi¬ 
tion to the mast pipe, get a 36-inch length of pipe (Fig. 
279) of large-enough diameter to slip over the end for the 
base, a pipe cap (Fig. 280) for the top, an eye-bolt (Fig. 
281), for the attachment of a clothes-line pulley (Fig. 282), 
a rope halyard, and an iron cleat (Fig. 283). 

A Concrete Base must be cast for the support of the 
mast. It should be about 20 inches in diameter or 18 
inches square, and 30 inches deep, of a mixture of gravel, 
or crushed stone, and sand and cement, in the proportions 
of 4 parts stone, 3 parts sand, and 1 part cement. 

After excavating for the base, stand the 36-inch length 
of pipe in the center of the hole, plumb it so that it is 
exactly vertical, and brace its top with temporary braces. 
Then mix the concrete, shovel it into the excavation, and 
tamp it into a compact mass. Bring the top of the con¬ 
crete an inch or so above the ground level. 

Assembling the Mast. Couple the lengths of pipe, and 
screw the pipe cap to the top. Drill holes for the top 
eye-bolt, and for bolts for attaching the cleat, and fasten 
these fittings to the pipe. Unless the pipe and fittings are 
galvanized, give them a coat of red lead and a coat of 
black paint, or two coats of asphalt paint. 

Erecting the Mast will require the help of two persons. 
Each should have a clothes pole or other pole, with end 


138 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


crotches made of crossed sticks. With the aid of the poles 
it will be a simple matter to raise the pipe and drop it 
into the base pipe. Don’t forget to run the rope halyard 
through the top pulley, before setting up the mast. 

Slack in the Aerial Wire great enough to permit the wire 
to sway, may cause “ fading ” of signals. Fig. 276 sug¬ 
gests how to take up the slack by weighting one end of 
the wire with sash-weights. 

Perfect Insulation of the Aerial requires the use of two 
glass or porcelain insulators (Fig. 284) on each end, placed 
about 12 inches apart. 

Fig. 276 shows how to bring 

The Lead-In Wire from the aerial into the building. 
Make it fast to a porcelain spool or cleat, then run it 
through a porcelain tube (Fig. 285) set in a hole bored 
through the wall, or through a window frame. The neatest 
arrangement is to set a plug receptacle in the wall, and 
connect the lead-in wire to it. 

A Lightning-Arrester must be hooked up with the lead- 
in wire and with an outside ground at the point where 
the lead-in wire enters the building, to comply with the 
rules of fire underwriters. Solder the ground wire to the 
top of an iron rod or piece of pipe driven several feet into 
the ground (Fig. 276). This does not make a ground con¬ 
nection, of course, unless a bolt of lightning jumps the gap 
in the arrester. 

The Ground Wire from the radio set must make contact 
with moist earth. If the house is piped for water, the 
ground wire may be connected to a water-pipe, by means 


INSTALLING A RADIO 


139 


of a plumber’s pipe strap, or a ground clamp made for the 
purpose (Fig. 286). 



Fig. 284.—^Aerial Insulator. 

Fig. 285.—Porcelain Tube. 

Fig. 286.—Ground Clamp on Water Pipe. 

Fig. 287.—Ground Clamp on Radiator. 

Fig. 288.—Direct Ground to Moist Earth. 

Where a hook-up with a water pipe cannot be made con¬ 
veniently, the ground clamp is attached to a radiator pipe 
(Fig. 287). 

A Direct Ground to moist earth is preferred by some 
radio fans, and is necessary where water-pipes are not 
available. It necessitates another hole through the wall 
or window frame for the ground wire. The ground may 
be an iron rod or pipe 6 feet in length driven into the 















































140 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


ground, with the ground wire soldered to the top (Fig. 
288), or it may be several copper or zinc plates joined, 
with the ground lead soldered to them, buried in moist 
earth. Where the soil is not likely to remain sufficiently 
moist at the depth of the plates, provision may be made 
for keeping it moist by setting a pipe into the ground, 
alongside the ground wire, and pouring water into this pipe. 




7 ^ 



CHAPTER XIV 


A WINTER FEEDER FOR 
BIRDS 



Winter-tarrying birds and early spring arrivals can 
forage for themselves, with moderate weather conditions 
and bare ground on which to seek seeds and berries, but 
when deep snows cover the available food supply, large 
numbers perish. Late winter and early spring blizzards 
play havoc, since by then the advance guard of many 
species have put in an appearance. 

There are various forms of racks and hoppers that can 
be made easily and quickly, among which is 

The Hanging Feeder 

shown in Fig. 289. Figs. 290 and 291 are cross-sections 
of the winter feeder, one taken lengthwise, the other cross¬ 
wise. 

The Parts are lettered, and dimensions are given. Your 
material may dictate other dimensions, but the size is not 
important. The model illustrated was made of box boards 
% inch thick. 

Ends A are of equal size, so are roof board C and base 
D. Back B fits between the ends. First, nail the ends to 

141 




































142 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


the back, then center the three pieces upon the base board 
so the end projections will be equal, and the front and 
back projections will be equal. Nail the board in place, 
then center and nail the roof board in the same way. 



Fig. 289.—^Hanging Feeder with Center Compartment and 
End Containers. 

Figs. 290 and 291.—Cross-Sections of Feeder. 

Fig. 292.—^Wire Cloth Front for End Feeder. 

The Center Compartment has a two-thirds glass front 
that shelters bird feeders and confines scattered feed with¬ 
out hiding it from view. The glass (Fig. 291) is 5 by 7 
inches. An old 5-by-7 negative can be obtained from a 
photographer, or you can get a piece of glass at a paint 










































































A WINTER FEEDER FOR BIRDS 


143 


store. The glass is held by two pairs of wooden strips 
(E, Fig. 291) fastened to the shelter ends with brads. 

The Wire Containers at either end of the feeder are 
for suet and meat scraps. They are made of pieces of 
galvanized wire cloth with mesh %-inch or y 2 ’-inch square. 
Bend the strips, as shown in Fig. 292, to lap over the edges 
of end pieces A, and fasten them with staples. 

Paint the feeder with two coats of paint, inside and out, 
then screw a pair of screw-eyes into the roof board, and 
attach a wire hanger to each. 

Stocking the Feeder 

Once you have set out the winter feeder, do not fail in 
your responsibility to keep it stocked with food, the wire 
baskets with suet and meat scraps, the inner shelter with 
hemp, millet and sunflower seed, poultry feed, and bread 
crumbs. 






CHAPTER XV 

WINTER SPORTS 
EQUIPMENT 



In my books The Boy Craftsman/^ “ Handicraft for 
Handy Boys/’ The Handy Boy/’ Carpentry and 
Mechanics for Boys ” and Outdoor Boy Craftsman,” you 
will find plans for ice boats, skate sails, skis, toboggan 
slides, coasters, single runners, bob-sleds, ice fishing shacks, 
snow huts and snow forts. In this chapter you have a 
group of miscellaneous sports equipment selected from 
my articles contributed to The American Boy, Modern 
Mechanics, The Country Gentleman, The Ladies* Home 
Journal, and Woman*s Home Companion, and to news¬ 
papers and weeklies through my Boy Craftsman Syndi¬ 
cate Service.” In these books and this chapter you should 
locate any piece of sports equipment that you want to 
make, no matter what your winter outdoors hobbies may 
be. 


An Ice Skatemobile 

Fig. 293 shows a rig for the skating pond or ice-coated 
sidewalk that you can make in an hour’s time. Your 
skates, a piece of 2-by-4, several wooden blocks, a box, 

144 







































WINTER SPORTS EQUIPMENT 


145 


your bicycle handle-bars, and a pair of plumber’s pipe 
straps are all that are required to build it. You will not 



Fig. 293.—Ice Skatemobile. 

Fig. 294.—^Attach Skates to Chassis in This Way. 
Fig. 295.—Pipe Strap for Attaching Handle-Bars. 


damage your skates in using them for runner shoes, neither 
will you injure your bicycle handle-bars. And both skates 
and handle-bars are so attached that they can be removed 
in a twinkling when wanted. You can substitute a stick 
for the handle-bars, if you want to, but it will not make 
so neat a job. 










































146 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Chassis 2-by-4 should be about 3 feet long. Fig. 
294 shows how to^ 

Attach Your Skates to the under side. Blocks A and B 
must be nailed or screwed to the 2-by-4, block A for the 
heel of the skate to grip, block B for the toe clamps to 
grip. The sizes of the blocks will be determined by your 
skates. Notch the upper edge of block B, on each side, 
so that the toe clamps will grip firmly. 

The Body box should be about 2 feet long. Place it 
endwise on the front of the chassis, with the open side to 
the rear. The lower part may be boarded up halfway for 
tool-box or parcel-carrier. 

Bore a hole in the box to receive the stem of 

The Handle-Bars. If you haven’t a bit large enough, 
make several small holes and cut them into one hole with 
a chisel, or enlarge a small hole with a rat-tail file. The 
bar ends must be fastened down, and the simplest way is 
to use a pair of pipe straps (Fig. 295). Attach the straps 
with screws so that they may be easily removed. 

The Paint Job. Few home-made vehicles are painted. 
There’s no reason why they should not be, because there 
is generally left-over paint in every household. Remove 
the handle-bars before applying it. If you buy paint, get 
a can of automobile enamel. 


A Barrel-Stave Sled 

The box and barrel-stave sled shown in Fig. 296 is one 
of the simplest sleds that you can make. 


WINTER SPORTS EQUIPMENT 


147 


The Seat is a soap box or other small box with the cover 
boards nailed on. 



Fig. 296.—Barrel-Stave Sled. 


The Runners are a pair of barrel staves. To attach the 
runners, turn the box upside down as shown in Fig. 297, 
nail a cross strip to the center of the bottom, and fasten 
the staves with nails 
at the points shown. 

Allow the staves to 
project 3 or 4 inches 
at the stern of the 
box. 

When the runners 
have been put on, 
fasten a strip to their 
bows for 

A Foot Bar. Make 

the bar long enough 
for its ends to project Fig. 297.—Nail Stave Runners to Box. 

as shown in Fig. 296, and notch it so that the steering rope 
may be tied securely. 












































148 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


A Rocker Coaster 

Cutting the runners usually is the biggest part of mak¬ 
ing a sled, but it is obviated in the rocker coaster, shown 


in Fig. 298, by the use of 
A Pair of Rockers from 



Fig. 298.—Rocker Coaster. 


a broken chair, or one which 
has fallen into disuse. The 
chances are that you will find 
a chair stowed away in the 
attic, or in the woodshed. 

Four Cross Bars connect 
the rocker runners (Fig. 299). 
Because the rockers will prob¬ 
ably be of hard wood, it is 
best to drill holes in them for 
screws for attaching the cross 
bars. 

The Seat Boards must be 
warped to the curve of the 
rockers (Fig. 298) unless the 
center pair of cross bars are 
enough thicker than the end 
bars, to bring the tops of the 
four in a straight line. 


Barrel-Stave Skis 

If one of your crowd can scare up a barrel, that barrel 
will furnish staves for a dozen skis. You will see by the 
diagram of Fig. 300 that a piece of board is fastened sev¬ 
eral inches forward of the center of the stave, and that a 















































WINTER SPORTS EQUIPMENT 


149 


house slipper is nailed to this board. If you lack a slipper, 
cut down an old shoe or overshoe. 



Fig. 299.—Chair Rockers Connected by Cross Bars. 

For a more efficient ski, smooth the sole with sandpaper, 
then rub in linseed oil, and polish with floor wax. 



Fig. 300.—Barrel-Stave Ski. 


A Small Skate-Sail 

like that in Fig. 301 will not enable you to attain a speed 
of fifty miles an hour, but for that reason it is better- 
adapted to ponds and short stretches of ice. Indeed, this 
type of sail was designed by boys of the Shedd Park Play¬ 
grounds, Chicago, for the annual playground ice tourna¬ 
ment held on a park lagoon that would not permit the 
use of a larger sail. This is also the rig to speed you over 
pavements coated with ice, on streets having little traffic. 

A detail of the completed skate-sail is shown in the 
diagram of Fig. 302. 


























150 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 



The Frame Sticks should be % square by the 
lengths given in Fig. 303. If there is a woodworking mill 

in your vicinity, you 
will probably find in its 
waste pile the sort of 
sticks needed for the 
frame, and a few pen¬ 
nies ought to clinch the 
bargain, if any charge 
at all is made. If a 
mill is not at hand, 
seek a local carpenter. 
He may have the strips 
you want in his pile 
of rippings. If these 
sources fail, lay off the 
strips upon a board and 
rip them with your saw. Plane the sticks smooth, and 
take off the sharp edges with sandpaper, then cut them to 
the given lengths. 

To Assemble the Frame, nail the 36-inch stick to the 
end of the 60-inch stick, then place the diagonal brace in 
the position indicated, trim off its ends to fit against the 
horizontal and vertical sticks, and nail in place. Fit the 
short cross brace between the diagonal and vertical sticks, 
as indicated. 

Reinforce the frame connections by lashing fishing line 
or other stout cord tightly around the sticks, then coating 
the lashings with shellac to make them hold fast. 


Fig. 301.—Small Skate-Sail. 



WINTER SPORTS EQUIPMENT 


151 


The Covering Material may be light-weight canvas, or 
muslin, or any closely woven cloth that Mother can spare. 



The method of lapping it over the frame and tacking it 
along the edges, is indicated in Fig. 302. This diagram also 
shows how the long edge of the cloth is turned over and 
stitched to form a hem. 

Decorate Your Sail. It will give it individuality. News¬ 
paper comic supplements and magazines contain suitable 
pictures to cut out and paste on sails; but, if you are clever 
with brush and pencil, you will probably want to work out 
a design of your own. 

When Sailing with the skate-sail, adjust the angle at 
which you hold the sail to suit each change in the direc- 
























152 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


tion of sailing. Large sails are held between the body and 
the wind, and you preserve your balance by throwing your 
weight against the sail. You may hold the small sail, how¬ 
ever, in front, as shown in Fig. 301. 

An Ice Hockey Stick 

is bent, not cut out, as you might imagine. The reason 
for bending it is that its grain must be continuous from 
the end of the handle to the toe of the blade. If it were 
not, the blade would split off where it joins the handle, 
perhaps at the first stroke, v 

Making the Sharp Bend is not easy with the equipment 
of the average home workshop, but you can have the job 
done at a local mill, where they have facilities for bending 
wood and making it stay bent. The rest of the shaping 
and finishing will be no trick at all. 

Another Way to Shape a Stick is used by boys in Can¬ 
ada, and it was described to me by a former captain of 
a Canadian hockey team. A tree-branch is selected (pref¬ 
erably of elm) that has the correct bend to it, one like 
that shown in Fig. 304. This is first roughly hewn to 
shape with an axe, then finished to the form indicated by 
dotted lines with spoke-shave or draw-knife, plane and 
file, and sandpaper. 

The dimensioned diagram of Fig. 305 shows an approved 
model of American hockey stick. The 
Length of the Stick and the angle of the blade, however, 
vary with different players. Coach C. S. Smythe of the 
Toronto University team suggests that the way to deter- 


WINTER SPORTS EQUIPMENT 153 


mine your individual requirements is to stand on your 
skates in playing position, leaning forward, with the right 



Fig. 304.—Select a Tree-Branch With a Bend Like This for Hockey 
Stick, and Hew to Dotted Line. 

Figs. 305-307.—Correct Dimensions for Standard Hockey Stick. 

hand grasping the stick well down the shaft and the left 
hand at the end, and place the blade the same distance in 









154 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 

front of you that it is ordinarily when you are taking the 
puck down the rink. In that position, the blade should 
lie flat on the ice. 

The Shaft End is shown in cross-section in Fig. 306, and 

The Blade End in Fig. 307. Give the stick a gradual 
taper from the shaft end to the blade end. 

You can spend any amount of time 

Finishing a Hockey Stick, and, of course, the more time 
you put on the work the better the job should be. Give 
the stick a coat of shellac, after sandpapering it. 

Hollow Grinding Your Skates 

It is not necessary to take your skates to a tool-grinder 
to have them hollow ground. If you own an emery stone 



Fig. 308. — Hollow-Grinding a Skate with Home-Made Grinder. 











WINTER SPORTS EQUIPMENT 


155 


narrow enough, it will be easy to rig up a gauging device 
to guide the skate so the stone will grind the hollow along 
the center of the runner. This is the method used by the 
professional grinder. But it is not necessary to invest in 
a grindstone, if you havenT one. Instead 

Make a File Grinder like that shown in use in Fig. 308. 
Figs. 309 to 314 show details of it. 

The File for the Job is the round rat-tail file shown in 
Fig. 309. One 6 or 8 inches long is right. 

The Holder, shown in Fig. 310, is made of three strips 
of wood, a center strip a trifle thicker than the width of 
the skate runner, by the length of the file and 1% inches 
wide, and two outer strips % or % inch thick by 1% 
inches wide. A lattice strip or a lath will cut up to ad¬ 
vantage. 



Fig. 309.—Use Rat-tail File for Skate Grinder. 

Fig. 310.—Holder for File. 

Fig. 311.—Cross-Section of Grinder. 

Fig. 312.—Fasten File to Center Strip. 

Figs. 313 and 314.—File May be Let Into Side Strips, Like This. 

























156 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


To Assemble, fasten the file to the center strip, to come 
between the outer strips, as shown in the cross-section of 
Fig. 311. You can fasten it by wiring it as shown in Fig. 
312, or by driving brads through the outer strips close to 
the under side of the file. The wire or brads must be 
below the cutting surface, so cut a notch near each end of 
the file with a hack-saw (Fig. 309). 

When you have mounted the file, fasten the three strips 
together with brads or screws. If your skates have runners 
narrower than the file, make a groove in the outer strips 
(Fig. 313) so the file can be let into them as shown in 
Fig. 314. 

Use a Vise to support the skates for grinding, or if you 
haven^t a vise, screw the skates to a plank, and hold the 
plank by kneeling on it, or by clamping it to a table top 
with a pair of curtain-stretcher clamps. 

Skates to Grind. When the other fellows see you with 
your hollow-ground skates, and hear that you have a 
grinder, you should have all the hollow-grinding jobs that 
you want to attend to. 

A Snow Totem Pole 

Of course, you fellows have seen pictures of the totem 
poles of Indians, symbols of families and tribes. But 
probably none of you unless you are a Boy Scout or Lone 
Scout, and have used a totem pole as a whittling problem, 
has attempted to make a totem pole model. A well- 
designed, brightly colored pole is a novelty worth hav¬ 
ing on one’s home grounds, since it is different from the 


WINTER SPORTS EQUIPMENT 157 

usual line of garden accessories; but it is no small job to 
cut one. 

A snow totem pole, on the other hand, like that shown 
in Fig. 315, can be made suc¬ 
cessfully by any one who has 
modeled in snow, or has made 
the attempt. 

A Tree-Trunk Foundation is 
required. A tree in the front 
yard, visible from the road is 
best, if you want passers-by to 
see the totem pole. The size is 
not important. If it is not large 
enough to model on, increase its 
diameter by piling snow around 
it. The snow must be moist to 
pack well. 

To Start a Totem Pole, plas¬ 
ter the tree trunk with snow 
from the ground as high as you 
wish to have the pole. Then 
roll snowballs of assorted sizes, from 12 to 18 inches, and 
cement them into the snow foundation, with enough snow 
below them to support the weight. 

With the several balls in place, decide on what figures 
they are to be shaped into and start the modeling. 

Your Modeling Tools will be a garden trowel, a stick, 
and a knife. With these you can cut away the snowballs, 
hollow or flatten them, and build up where necessary. 



Fig. 315.— Snow Totem Pole. 


158 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Reinforce Projections with sticks or branches. 

Make Eyes and Ears of chunks of coal, tin cans, orange 
skins, harness rings, or other odds and ends. Press them 
into the snow. 

When you have completed the carving, you can obtain 
quite startling effects by 

Adding Color. You might not think such a thing pos¬ 
sible, but it can be done successfully with calcimines. Of 
course, colors will cause snow to melt to a certain extent, 
so do not apply them until you have sprayed the snow 
with water and allowed it to freeze solid. 

A Snowball Shield 

Every red-blooded boy enjoys a snow fight, with one side 
entrenched in a fort, the other side the attacking party. 
But when you are one of the attackers, it is more fun to 
advance under the protection of a shield like that in Fig. 
316. 

To Make the Shield, fasten together two thin, light¬ 
weight boards of the length and width shown in Fig. 317, 
with a batten placed near the ends. Then draw the curves 
for the side edges, using the given radius, and saw along 
the curved lines. In nailing on the battens, be careful to 
place the nails so that none will come in the path of the 
saw. 

An Arm and Hand Loop are required upon the back of 
the shield (Fig. 316). Make these of short blocks of wood, 
with nails driven into the ends, and loops of twisted 
strands of wire fastened to the nails (Fig. 318). Make the 


WINTER SPORTS EQUIPMENT 


159 


arm loop amply large so that your overcoat sleeve will slip 
through it easily. Wrap the hand loop with cloth or 
friction tape so that it will make a good hand grip. Nail 



Fig. 316.—Snowball Shield. 

Fig. 317.—Pattern for Shield. 

Fig. 318.—^Arm and Hand Loop Detail. 


the loop blocks to the back of the shield in the positions 
shown. 

Decorate the face of the shield with fantastic symbols 
done in bright colors. 



























































GO 'Hi " ■ 
iJi ^Uci) 




PART II 


Spring Hobbies 


































Years ago the building and sailing of model yachts was 
looked upon as a small boy’s pastime. Now it has become 

I 

the hobby of old and young alike. In parks of every large 
city and small town you will see evidence of growing 
interest in these miniature craft. Indeed, model boat 
regattas have become as much a part of the calendar of 
playgrounds, schools, Boy Scout troops, Young Men’s 
Christian Associations, and other organizations, as kite 
contests, model airplane tournaments, and athletic events. 
The younger boy regattas include every type of simple craft 
from a catboat with watermelon hull to a motor boat 
propelled by a rubber-band motor. The older boy regattas 
bring out more efficient craft, with stream-lined hulls and 
trim rigging, and clockwork or electric motors. And the 
old boy ” regattas, in which participants hail from every 
trade and profession, reveal the ultimate in design and 
construction, exact scale models of the finest craft afloat, 
with full rigging and miniature power plants capable of 
remarkable performance. 

The photograph of Fig. 319 (facing page 164), shows a 

163 






















164 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


fleet of boys’ yachts, and the photograph of Fig. 320 shows 
a group of models built by the older members of the Ogden 
Park Model Yacht Club, Chicago, one of the most active 
and most skilful organizations affiliated with The Model 
Yacht Racing Association of America.” 

Dad would be quite as much interested in building a 
yacht as men in the model yacht clubs are. A manufac¬ 
turer of toy boats has advertised Buy your boy a boat 
for yourself,” recognizing the fact that a father gets as 
much of a thrill out of it as his boy does. But half of the 
sport is in building the yacht, and if you can persuade 
Dad that this is true and obtain his cooperation, you will 
both have the greatest amount of fun imaginable. 

Your First Model Yacht 

For your first fully rigged model yacht, I suggest that 
you follow the plans in Figs. 321 to 340 of this chapter. 
A simple yacht like this requires inexpensive materials, and 
few tools to shape them. When you have completed it, 
you can turn your attention to 

Larger Models 

replicas of the finest craft that sail, and when you have 
become expert in the work, you can produce models that 
would cost hundreds of dollars to buy. 

Blueprints of large yachts are made available by pub¬ 
lishers of yachting magazines, and houses that specialize in 
model boat accessories supply 

Material Kits and models in knocked-down form, also 



Fig. 320.—Yachts Built by Members of the “Ogden Park Model Yacht 

Club,” Chicago. 



Fig. 321.—Randolph Cannon and His Model Yacht. 



Fig. 319.—A Model Yacht Regatta Is Exciting. 















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A MODEL YACHT 


165 


Fittings such as dead-eyes, chocks, cleats, turn-buckles, 
and mast rings, nicely formed and made to scale. 

A Twenty-Four Inch Model 

The photograph of Fig. 321 shows a 24-inch model with 
its builder Randolph Cannon. Working details of the 
model will be found in Figs. 322 to 340. You may make 
changes in this model, introduce your own ideas, just as 
Randolph used his ideas. You will learn much by experi¬ 
menting. Yet you will profit by studying a successful 
model like this one, and for a first model you will do well 
to copy it as closely as you can. 

Fig. 322 is a side elevation of the completed model, Fig. 
323 is a deck plan and Fig. 324 is a keel plan. 

Materials 

The following materials are required: one block of clear 
soft pine 1% inches by 6 inches by 24 inches, or two blocks 
% inch by 6 inches by 24 inches, for hull, a piece of 
mahogany or pine for deck, a small piece of No. 22 gauge 
sheet brass or iron for rudder, %-inch brass rod 5 inches 
long for rudder post, %6-inch brass tubing 2 inches long for 
rudder post port, %-inch and %-inch dowel sticks for spars, 
wire for spar rings and loops, muslin for sails, fancy-work 
rings for sail mast rings, fishing line for rigging, and small 
screw-eyes and screw-hooks for eyes and cleats. 

The Hull 

may be carved from a single block of wood, but unless you 


166 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 



DECK LINE 


Fig. 322.—Side Elevation of 24-Inch Model Yacht. 
Fig. 323.—Deck Plan. 

Fig. 324.—Keel Plan. 



















































































A MODEL YACHT 


167 


can get a block that is free from knots and other defects, 
it is better to cement two pieces together as shown in Fig. 
325. Use a waterproof glue, or cement of the kind recom¬ 
mended for model airplanes. 



Fig. 325.—Hull Block Laid Out for Carving. 
Figs. 326 and 327.—^Templets. 

Fig. 328.—^Applying Templet to Gauge Carving. 


To Lay Out the Hull, first scribe a center line along each 
face and end. Then space off the templet section lines, 
following the dimensions given in Fig. 323, and square 
these lines across both faces and edges of the block as in 



























































































168 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Fig. 325. Measure off the hull widths given in Fig. 323, 
along the section line of each face, and through the points 
draw the curved side lines. Cut the block just outside of 
the lines. 

Templets are needed for the final shaping of the hull, 
by which to gauge the cutting. There should be a templet 
to hhow the true profile at each of the section lines. 
Fig. 326 shows the seven templets, and Fig. 327 shows 
patterns, squared off to aid you in reproducing the curves. 
Make a similar set of squares upon a sheet of paper, with 
each square measuring % inch across. Then upon these 
full-size squares lay off the curved and straight lines of 
the templets, just as they are shown upon the printed pat¬ 
terns. Having the full-size patterns, make tracings of 
them, and then transfer them upon heavy cardboard or 
sheet metal, and cut them out, leaving generous margins 
around the profiles. 

Carving the Hull requires a draw-knife or coping-saw for 
the rough cutting, a wood-rasp, plane, and sandpaper for 
the final shaping and smoothing of the surfaces. Fig. 
328 shows the application of a templet to determine the 
correct profile at section line D. Support the hull block 
as suggested for the hull of the model motor boat in 
Chapter XVII, while carving it. Read, also, the sugges¬ 
tions in Chapter XVII for shaping the motor boat hull. 

When the outside of the hull satisfies you. 

Hollow the Inside. A gouge is best for this work. Cut 
deep, except along the center, where the keel is to be 
screwed on, and at the point of the rudder post port. 


A MODEL YACHT 


169 


Make the Deck 

of a piece of board % inch thick, tapering it from that 
thickness at the bow to a thickness of ^ inch at the stern 
(Fig. 322). Fasten down the deck with glue and small 
brass screws or escutcheon nails. 


The Keel 

is of lead, cast in a mold hollowed out of two blocks of 
wood, as shown in Figs. 329 and 330, with port and vents 
provided. Smooth the casting with a file, drill three 
screw-holes, and 
screw the keel to 

the hull, as shown ( 3 ^ 

^-SCREWS 


in Fig. 331. 


LEAD KEEL 







The Rudder 
is cut out of sheet 
metal. Lay it out 
of the dimensions 
given in Fig. 332. 

The Rudder - 65 — 4f 

Post is a piece of Yigs, 329 and 330.—Cast Lead Keel in a Mold 

%-inch brass rod hike This. 

1 • j Fig. 331. —Screw Keel to Hull, 

or galvanized 

wire. Slot its end, slip the rudder into the slot and fasten 
with solder. The post can be run through a small hole 
bored through the hull, but 

A Port of % 6 -inch brass tubing (Fig. 332), packed with 
grease to keep out water, is a better job. Finish off the 





















170 BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 

deck end of the tubing with a brass plate (Fig. 333). 
Solder this plate to the tubing, then screw it to the deck. 

Make a right-angle 
bend in the end of 
the rudder post, to 
form 

The Tiller, and 
bend an eye in the 
end of the tiller 
(Fig. 332). 

Figs. 334 to 338 
show details of 


The Spars 
Make these of 
dowel sticks of the 
diameters and 
lengths indicated, 
and taper the mast 
and boom spars 
from a diameter of 
% inch at one end to a diameter of % inch at the other. 
Make 

The Mast Loops for boom and gaff of metal bands (Fig. 
339), lash them in place with linen thread, and coat the 
lashings with shellac to make them hold fast. Make 
The Rigging Loops of wire (Fig. 340), and lash them in 
place at the points indicated. Cut a small block of wood 
for 




Tl LLE^ 


iy TUBING 

Ii'i ‘ 



RING 

TRAVELLER 
RUBBER BAND 


KEEL 


ROD POST 


(33?) 


Figs. 332 and 333.—Details of Rudder, 
Tiller, and Automatic Steering Device. 





















A MODEL YACHT 


171 


A Mast Step, drill a hole in it to receive the mast end, 
and fasten the block to the deck. 

The Sails 

Use a good grade of muslin or Indian head for sails. 
You had better ask Mother or Sister to be sailmaker, as 
the work is somewhat out of your line. The sizes of the 
mainsail and jib are indicated in Fig. 322. Lay out a pair 
of paper patterns, by which to cut the cloth, and place 
them upon the cloth so that the selvedge runs along one 
edge of the sail. The other edges must be hemmed. 

Sew fancy-work rings to the luff of the mainsail, to slip 
over the mast. Sew short lengths of thread to the head 
and foot for lashing the sail to the gaff and boom. Sew 
short lengths of thread to the corners of the jib sail in the 
same manner. 


The Rigging 

may be made complete in detail, or simplified. Most model- 
builders use a modified form, with small screw-eyes for 
blocks and screw-hooks for cleats. 

Fishing line makes good stays, halyards, and sheets. 
You will see by the photograph of Fig. 321, and Fig. 322 
and Figs. 334 to 338 of the diagrams, where to attach them. 
The scheme for 


Automatic Steering 

is shown in Fig. 332. Run the mainsail sheet from the 
boom to and through the tiller eye, then back to the boom^ 


172 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


through a loop or ring on the boom, and over to a traveler 
set in the stern. With this rig, when the boom swings, 




Fig. 334.—Mast. Fig. 335.—Boom. Fig. 336.—Gaff. 

Fig. 337.— Jib Boom. Fig. 338.—Bowsprit. 

Fig. 339.—Mast Loops for Boom and Gaff Ends. 

Fig. 340.—Spar Loops for Sheet and Halyard. 

the tiller also swings, as indicated in Fig. 333, and holds 
the yacht to its course. Run a rubber band from the tiller 
eye to a tack in the deck, to bring the tiller back to the 
horizontal. 


Finishing 


This job should be done before you rig the yacht. Var¬ 
nish the deck and spars with two coats of spar varnish. 
Paint the hull white from the deck to the water line, and 
gray, black, or any other color that you want, from the 
water line to the keel. 















































































A MODEL YACHT 


173 


A Y^acht Club 

When enough of you fellows have taken up model yacht 
building, interest some local organization in helping you to 
form a model yacht club. Then the next step will be to 
promote 


Model Yacht Regattas 

The committee in charge of the regattas should adopt 
the following rules, taken from the ‘‘Racing Rules for 
Pond Sailing,’’ laid down by the “International Yacht 
Racing Association ” : 

Definitions : 

Skipper—The person sailing the yacht, including his assistant. 

Competitor—yacht forming part of a pair. 

Pair—^Two or more yachts drawn to sail together in a heat. 

Board—A course in one direction of the lake. 

Heat—^Two or more boards in which the same pairs sail. 

Shore—^The sides of the lake other than the starting line and 
the goal. 

Obstruction—^Anything (excluding weed) that may stop a 
yacht other than its competitor or the shore, including other 
yachts sailing in the same board. 

Foul—^When a yacht colliding with a competitor or obstruc¬ 
tion is hung up, turned off her course, or has any of her gear dis¬ 
arranged so as to affect her chance of winning a board. 

Officer of the Day—^The officer appointed to take charge of the 
racing and act as referee. 

Completion of a Board—A yacht shall be deemed to have com¬ 
pleted a board as soon as any part of her hull or gear has passed 
the winning line. 

When races are held on enclosed waters where yachts can be 
handled from the shore, the following rules shall apply: 


174 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Readiness for Punctual Start. All competing yachts are to 
be out of the water and at the starting place at least ten minutes 
prior to the advertised time for the start. 

Method of Sailing on Enclosed Waters. When yachts are 
handled from the shore all events are to be sailed on the tourna¬ 
ment system. 

Scoring. In sailing races the scores shall be counted in 
points: For a win to windward, 3 points are to be awarded; for a 
win to leeward, 2 points; for a win in reaching winds, 2 points. 

In the event of a dead heat the board is to be resailed. 

Should the leading yachts tie with equal points at the end of 
a race, the yacht having the greater number of windward boards 
to her credit shall be declared the winner; but if there still be a 
tie the yachts in question are to sail one windward board to 
decide (in reaching winds a board in the direction in which the 
race was started). 

Stations and Starting. Stations (weather and leeward 
berths) shall be drawn for before starting, and competitors must 
both start on the same tack (with sails full and drawing) and 
from the positions (or starting marks) duly determined by the 
starter. The starting marks shall be not less than three yards 
apart. 

Propulsion. Skippers shall be allowed to push off their yachts 
at the start only by hand or by pole, but at no other time during 
a board may yachts be propelled otherwise than by the action 
of the wind, unless the yacht gets aground, when she may be 
pushed off. Poles to be of uniform length, but not longer than 
is customary or necessary on the particular water. 

Entering the Water. A skipper shall not enter the water to 
turn, retrim or start a yacht, except at waters where it is cus¬ 
tomary to use waders or water boots; but in no case shall a pole 
be used in conjunction with waders or water boots. 

Handling Yachts. Whenever a yacht comes to shore she 
must either: (a) be tacked, or (b) be retrimmed. 

For (a) in windward hoards yachts shall be turned fairly about 
by the skipper taking a firm stand and (1) turning the yacht off 
by placing the stick or pole against the lee bow, and (2) he may 
also steady her round the pole against the lee side of the counter 


A MODEL YACHT 


175 


as she sails out. In any case her head-sail must fairly and 
definitely fill on the offshore tack before she leaves her skipper’s 
control. Failure to do this shall entail disqualification for the 
board. No other part of the yacht, sails, or gear may be touched, 
unless to readjust her trim or to avoid an obstruction. When, 
and if, a retrim has been effected, the model shall be put off by 
hand only. A yacht put off on the guy ’’ and failing to break 
tack ” and returning to the shore from which she was put off, 
must be retrimmed. 

Note. —Failure to break tack occurs when a yacht has been 
correctly turned (with head-sails filled on the new tack) and she 
returns to the same shore on the same tack, i. e., not having 
broken tack by the action of the guy. 

(A retrim ” is a readjustment of a yachFs sails, gear or 
rudder that will allow her to proceed fairly on her course toward 
the finishing line.) 

For (b) in leeward boards (or reaching) the yacht shall be 
stopped, retrimmed, and restarted by hand every time she comes 
ashore. 

The skippers must remain stationary whilst retrimming or 
turning the yacht, and the yacht must be stopped whilst altering 
trim. 

Whenever a yacht is put about, or restarted after retrim, her 
way must not be accelerated. 

The ‘‘ guy ” properly applied constitutes a retrim, but a jibe 
does not. 

Avoiding Collision. Tacking, guying, starting a yacht after 
a retrim, or after coming to shore foul, may not be done so as to 
involve the immediate risk of collision. 

Collisions and Fouls, (a) If a competing pair foul within 
six yards (or a similar distance previously settled by the Officer 
of the Day) of the starting line, they shall be restarted from 
their original positions. Should the foul recur the starter may 
order them to start further apart, or to change positions. 

(b) If a competing pair foul outside the distance mentioned 
above, the board shall be resailed on the order of the Officer of 
the Day, except as provided in Rules 12 and 13 (c) (d). 

(c) If one of a pair fouls an obstruction the board shall be 


176 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


resailed, unless the Officer of the Day is of the opinion that she 
had no chance of winning the board. 

(d) Should two or more yachts come to shore foul (covering 
each other) that which is to windward has the right to be first 
restarted; but if either requires adjustment, then that which is 
first ready may be first restarted, in which case such yacht must 
restart from a position astern of the other. Neither may be 
advanced to effect a retrim. 



There is about the same amount of work to building a 
model motor boat as to a yacht, the installation of the 
power plant requiring a little more time, perhaps, than 
rigging a yacht. There is the added cost of the plant, it is 
true, a toy electric motor and battery, or other form of 
motor, sheet brass, brass rod and tubing, but if you own 
one of the electric motors that come with toy construction 
sets, this cost will be reduced by half. 

The photographs of Figs. 341 and 342 show a nicely pro¬ 
portioned model built by my reader, Warren E. Leigh. This 
model won the first-prize cabinet of tools, in a recent 
Boy Craftsman Model-Making Prize Contest,’^ and it has 
won a cup and other prizes. The diagrams and instruc¬ 
tions in this chapter will enable you to duplicate the model 
or help you to shape your own ideas into a practical design. 


Materials 

The following materials are required: one block of clear, 
soft pine 4 inches thick, 6 inches wide and 26 inches long, 
or two blocks, 2 inches by 6 inches by 26 inches, for hull, 

177 






















178 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


small pieces of mahogany, walnut or cigar-box wood % inch 
or %6 inch thick, for decks and cabin, %-inch brass rod 36 
inches long, for propeller shaft, rudder post and guard, 
%-inch brass tubing 15 inches long for shaft and post 
sleeve. No. 22 gauge sheet brass 4 inches square for pro¬ 
peller, tiller and tiller plate, brass screws, brads, electric 
motor, two flashhght batteries, bell wire, glue or model 
airplane cement, white lead, wood stain and spar varnish, 
or automobile enamel or lacquer. 


The Hull 

First, prepare the block of wood for the hull. If you get 
it in one piece, square it up to the dimensions given on 
the plan of hull (Fig. 343) and the side elevation (Fig. 
344). If you must use two pieces, fasten them together 



Fig. 343.—Plan of Hull. 

Fig. 344.—Side Elevation of Hull. 

as shown in Fig. 345, with waterproof glue or cement. 
The contact surfaces of glued blocks must be dressed 
























































Fig. :i4'2.— Crossing a Park Lagoon. 





A MODEL MOTOR BOAT 


179 


absolutely true, and the blocks must be clamped together 
until the glue sets. 

To Lay Out the Hull, first draw a center line along the 
two faces and across the ends (Fig. 345). Then mark off 
the measurements given on the plan (Fig. 343) for section 
lines A, B, C, D and E, and square lines through these 



Fig. 345.—Hull Block Laid Out for Carving. 

Fig. 346.—Vise Block for Supporting Hull While Shaping Outside. 
Fig. 347.—^Applying Templets to Gauge the Carving. 

Fig. 348.—Cradle for Supporting Hull While Hollowing It. 

points across the faces and edges of the block. Lay off the 
widths of the hull along the section lines and draw the side 
lines, using a bent piece of cardboard or metal to aid you 
in drawing the curves. The side lines on opposite faces 
are not alike. With the lines correctly drawn, saw out the 
block, or cut to the lines with a spoke-shave or a draw- 


















180 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


knife, and smooth the surfaces with a plane or wood-rasp, 
and sandpaper. Fig. 346 shows the block at this stage of 
the cutting. 

Templets, or guides for shaping the hull, must be made 
next. Make five of these of the exact profiles of the hull 
at the section lines A, B, C, D and E. They are shown 
drawn to scale on the squared off pattern of Fig. 349, and 

they are shown cut 
out ready to use in 
Fig. 350. Make a set 
of squares similar to 
those of the pattern, 
drawing the horizontal 
and vertical lines % 
inch apart. Then re¬ 
produce the profile 
lines upon the full-size 
squares, exactly as 

To Shape the Outside of the hull, screw or nail a block 
of wood to the deck face (Fig. 346), by which to clamp 
the hull in your vise. You can use a draw-knife, plane, 
wood-rasp, and gouge to advantage in the shaping. It is 
best to begin at the center of the hull, at section C, and 
work toward bow and stern. Cut carefully, and use the 
templets continuously. When you are satisfied that you 
have made a satisfactory job of shaping, finish the surfaces 
with sandpaper. 

Next, remove the vise block (Fig. 346), and cut the sheer 



Fig. 349.— Half-Patterns of Templets, 
shown upon the printed pattern. 











































A MODEL MOTOR BOAT 


181 



Fig. 350.—Templets Ready for Use. 


of the deck surface from section B to the stern (Fig. 344). 
Prepare a support like that in Fig. 348 to hold the hull 
for the 

Hollowing process. Pieces of felt between the blocks 






















182 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


and the hull will protect the surfaces. Start the hollow¬ 
ing by boring a row of holes along a line % inch inside 
the edges. Then scoop out the wood with a gouge. Cut 
away the wood until you have a shell of inch thickness, 
or less. Cut away equal amounts of wood on each side 
of the center line, to preserve a balance. Fig. 349 sug¬ 
gests the finished thickness at the five section lines. When 
you have pared the surfaces as smooth as possible, finish 
with sandpaper. 

With the hull of the motor boat completed, it is ready 
for 



Warren E. Leigh, builder of the fine model shown in the 
photograph of Fig. 341, made decks of mahogany % inch 
thick. Other wood will do, and the thickness may be 
inch or less. Cigar-box wood is fine for the purpose. The 



























A MODEL MOTOR BOAT 


183 


decks of this model are flat, but they may be crowned, or 
curved, by using wood % inch thick and planing it down to 
a thickness of %6 inch along the gunwales. Cut the decks 
to project about Vie inch, and drill their edges for brass 
screws for attaching to the hull. If you want to, you may 
score the pieces lengthwise with rule and knife, in imitation 
of flooring joints. 

The Cabin 

Figs. 353 and 354 give the dimensions for the cabin 
walls and roof. Cut the window openings with a coping- 
saw. Assemble the parts with brads. The cabin should 



be removable to gain access to the motor. Nail a cleat 
to each side of the cockpit for it to rest on (Figs. 351 and 
352). The window openings may be enclosed with glass 
or celluloid. 


The Power Plant 

Model motor boats may be operated by electric motors, 
clockwork motors or miniature marine engines. You can 
buy motors from a dealer in model supplies, but 




























184 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


A Toy Electric Motor of the type shown in Fig. 355, or 
a motor from a toy construction set will be satisfactory. 
Remove the motor from its base, and mount it upon a 
wedge-shaped block like that in Fig. 356, to give it the 
right pitch to line it up with the propeller shaft. 



Fig. 355.—Toy Electric Motor. 

Fig. 356.—Base for Motor. 

Fig. 357.—Propeller and Shaft. 

Fig. 358.—Port for Propeller Shaft. 

Figs. 359 and 360.—Propeller and Motor Shaft Hook-Up. 

The Propeller should be of No. 22 gauge brass. Fig. 
361 shows the layout. Cut it with a pair of tinsnips. 
Drill a %-inch hole through its center to admit the end 
of the shaft. 

The Shaft should be of %-inch brass rod, of the length 
shown in Fig. 357. Solder the propeller to one end, and 
drill a small hole through the other end for connection to 
the shaft of the motor. The propeller shaft turns in 

A Port of %-inch brass tubing (Fig. 358). Solder up 
the tube ends, then drill a %-inch hole through the center 
of each end to admit the shaft. Bore a slanted hole 
through the hull to admit the port, and caulk the hole 
around the tubing with thick white lead. Pack the port 
with grease to keep out water. Support the forward end 
of the port on a wooden block. 














A MODEL MOTOR BOAT 


185 


The Motor Hook Up. Instead of connecting the pro¬ 
peller shaft direct to the motor shaft, drill a small hole 
through the motor shaft like the one you have drilled 
through the end of the propeller shaft, and connect the two 
holes with a coil of five or six turns of piano wire, formed 
by winding the wire around a pencil or dowel stick (Figs. 
359 and 360). The coil will prevent binding, if the shafts 
are slightly out of alignment. Anchor a flashlight dry cell 
each side of the propeller shaft, and connect the pair in 
series to the motor. These cells will run down with con¬ 
tinuous use, so it is best to give them a chance to recover 
after a few minutes’ running of the motor. The cells will 
last longer, if four of them are wired in series parallel. 

The Rudder 

Cut the Rudder out of No. 22 gauge brass, of the size 
shown in Fig. 362, and cut 

The Rudder Post out of %-inch brass rod, of the length 
shown in Fig. 363. Slot the end of the post as shown, slip 
the rudder into the slot and fasten it with solder. Make 

The Port for the tiller post of %6-inch brass tubing (Fig. 
352). Drive it into a hole in the hull just large enough 
to make a snug fit. Pack the port with grease to keep out 
water and to make the rudder turn easily. 

The Tiller 

Cut the Tiller of No. 22 gauge brass. Fig. 364 is a 
pattern. Drill a %-inch hole through the large end, slip 
the rudder post through the hole, and fasten it with solder. 


186 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


A Quadrant Plate over the small end of the tiller (Fig. 
351) will make it possible to fix the rudder at any angle 
wanted. Make this of a strip of brass of the size shown 



Fig. 361.—Pattern for Propeller. 

Fig. 362.—Rudder. 

Fig. 363.—Rudder Post. 

Fig. 364.—Tiller. 

Fig. 365.—Quadrant Plate. 

in Fig. 365, and drill a quadrant of small holes through it, 
using the given radius. Drill a hole of the same size 
through the small end of the tiller, and screw the quadrant 
plate to the deck in the right position for the hole in the 
tiller to coincide with the holes in the quadrant plate. 
The tiller can be fixed where set by driving a brad through 
the holes into the deck. 

A Propeller and Rudder Guard 
will protect these parts from injury when the motor boat 
runs aground. Bend it out of brass rod of the shape shown 
in Fig. 352, flatten the ends, drill for screws, and screw it 
to the hull. 








A MODEL MOTOR BOAT 


187 


Finishing 

When the model is ready for finishing, rub down all sur¬ 
faces with No. 00 sandpaper, and wipe clean with a cloth. 
Varnish the decks and cabin with spar varnish, if made of 
mahogany, or stain them with mahogany stain, then var¬ 
nish them, if of pine. Finish the hull with automobile 
enamel or lacquer. 


Make a Stand 

for your model motor boat, so that you can support it as 
shown in the photograph of Fig. 341. Fig. 366 shows 
half patterns for the 
bow and stern cradles 
of a stand. Use your 
templets to lay out the 
correct inside hull lines. 

Cut the cradles out of 
pine, mount them upon 
base blocks large 
enough to project % 
inch all around, and 
join them with two %-inch dowel sticks 12 inches long. 
Cover the cradle tops and base-block bottoms with felt. 



Fig. 366. — Half-Pattern for Bow and 
Stern Cradles of Stand. 
































Add this cloud chaser to your airport. She is as fine a 
rig as I know of. Does she pull? Does she? She will lift 
a fiag or any small object that you want to send aloft. 
And once you put her into high, there is no trouble in 
keeping her there. 

She is somewhat of a cross between a box kite and the 
old timer’s hexagonal rig. She is called the Conyne (Co-9) 
after Silas J. Conyne, her inventor, and she is the type of 
kite used commercially for floating advertising banners in 
the breeze. 

There is no great mystery about building the Conyne 
model. Straight sticks, paper or cloth for covering, paste, 
string, and a little headwork are all that are required. 

Kite Sticks 

A boy’s principal worry used to be about procuring good 
sticks, but there should be no difficulty now. If there is a 
sash-and-door mill in your vicinity, there will probably be 
a large assortment of sticks in the waste pile, from which 
you can take what you need for the asking. If ready-cut 

188 
























A GREAT RIG IN KITES 


189 


sticks are not available, rip what you need from a board 
with your rip-saw, or better yet, with a circular saw. If 
you own one of those new motorized workshops,” or if 
you can gain permission to run the school saw, you will be 
in luck. 

Spruce or soft pine is the wood to use, unless you can 
find lighter wood that will have the necessary strength. 
Balsa, the wood airplanes have made famous, has won 
favor among kite mechanics, and bamboo is well liked. 
The advantage of bamboo is in its strength. A kite with 
a bamboo frame will fly in a wind that would snap pine 
sticks. 

Cut a bundle of sticks, if you rip them, so there will be 
enough for several models, and for replacements. 

The Covering Material 

A tough wrapping-paper is all right for covering the 
frame, but cloth is more durable. Cambric is good and 
inexpensive. Maybe you can get pieces of different colors, 
and combine them. 

A Thirty-Three-Inch Model 

The 33-inch model of the Conyne, shown in Fig. 367, is 
a good average size of kite. If you want a larger model, 
notice by the framework diagram of Fig. 368 that the four 
sticks are of equal length, and that the spacings are one- 
third of the length. If you use pine or spruce sticks, cut 
them of the width and thickness given in Figs. 369 to 372, 
increasing this measurement a trifle for longer sticks. 


190 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Assembly 

Frame the Triangular Cells with three of the sticks, as 
shown in Fig. 373. Cut the two end-bands of covering 



Fig. 367,—33-Inch Model Conyne Kite. 

Fig. 368.—^Diagram of Covered Frame. 

Figs. 369-372.—Stick Dimensions. 

Fig. 373.—^Assembly of Triangular Cells. 

material 11 inches wide and 35 inches long. If cloth is 
used, cut it with the selvedge along one edge, and allow 
1/2 inch along the other edge for turning in and gluing. 
Forming the bands is particular work. The sticks must 
be spaced equidistantly, 11 inches from center to center, 
and the paper or cloth must be stretched evenly so the 













































































A GREAT RIG IN KITES 191 

surfaces will be smooth. Fasten the cloth with small 
tacks, or with glue or cement. 

Fasten the Horizontal Stick across two of the vertical 
sticks, at the inner edge of the upper cell, with ends pro¬ 
jecting equally, and lash the sticks together where they 
cross. 

Then you will be ready for 

The Framing String. A light-weight fishing line is good 
for this, but strong wrapping-twine will do. Cut a V-notch 
in each end of the three sticks, make half-hitches in the 
line, and slip the hitches over the stick ends. Pull the 
line taut, but not so that it bends the sticks. 

With the framing string in place. 

Cover the Side Wings of the hexagonal plane, cutting 
two triangular pieces large enough to make a %-inch lap 
over the string. Paste or glue the edges. 

The Bridle 

The points at which to attach 

The Belly Band are shown in Fig. 367. Make the loop 
long enough to come a trifle beyond the end of the hori¬ 
zontal stick when it is pulled to one side. Attach the 
flying line with a non-slipping knot, at the point indicated. 

The Flying Line 

You will want a reliable twine for flying your Conyne. 
Mason^s twine is excellent for the purpose. It costs more 
than ordinary wrapping-twine, but it is good kite insur¬ 


ance. 


192 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


- 3 : 




A Kite-Line Reel 

Fig. 374 shows a reel of large capacity. It will hold 
several balls of twine. You can make it larger or smaller, 
if you want to. 

Saw notches in the ends of a piece of %-inch board cut 

from a box end, and bore 
holes for the pair of 
dowel-stick handles. The 
large thread spools or 
ribbon spools, shown 
mounted upon the 
handles may be omitted 
to simplify the making, 
in which case cut the 
dowel sticks long enough 



the stick ends with glue, 
drive them into the holes 
bored for them, and 
drive in a brad to rein¬ 
force the glue. If you 
use spool hand grips, 
drill holes through the stick ends, and run cotter-pins 
through the holes to keep the spools from coming off. 


Fig. 374. — Kite-Line Reel 
of Large Capacity. 
































It is fascinating to watch a windmill in motion, and to 
note the similarity in action of the wind upon its tail and 
upon the tail of an airplane, keeping the nose of each 
headed into the wind. 

The toy windmill shown in the photograph of Fig. 375 
is as fine a mechanical job as you would want. You can 
make it quickly and when you have assembled it and 
mounted it upon a post, it will whizz continuously while a 
breath of air is stirring, and it will require no attention 
except an occasional greasing. 

Rig up several of these stationary airplanes in your back 
yard, and exercise your air rights, pending the day when 
you will take off in your own plane, possibly from your 
yard airport. i 

The photograph shows the air motor mounted upon a 
clothes-post. If you want it visible from the air, as well 
as from the ground, mount it atop of a chimney, or on 
the house or garage roof. 

Dimensions of parts of the motor are given in Fig. 377 
and Figs. 381 to 383. Increase them by one-half, if you 

193 





















194 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


mount the model high, so that it will not look too small 
from the ground. 

First Shape the Hub 

This requires two blocks of the size shown in Fig. 377, 
halved at their centers so they will interlock as indicated 
in Fig. 378. Halving consists of cutting from one face of 
each block a piece of the width and one-half of the depth 



14"-->1 



Figs. 377 and 378.—Hub Details of Air Motor Shown in Fig, 375. 
Figs. 379 and 380.—Shade Bracket Hub Bearings. 

Fig. 381.—Shaft and Shaft Bearings. 





















































Fig. 37().—An Airplane Weather-Vane. 



Fig. 375—An Air-Motor. 





AN AIR MOTOR 


195 


of the other block, so that the pair will interlock with a 
snug fit. Dotted lines in Fig. 377 indicate the halving. 
Cut inside of the end lines with a saw, then split out the 
wood between the cuts with a chisel, and finish smooth 
with a file and sandpaper. The block ends must be slotted 
to a depth of 1 inch to receive the blades, and as the blades 
will be %6 inch thick, the slots must be of that width. 
Cut with a coping-saw or other small saw. 

Join the halved blocks with nails or screws, then locate 
the hub center on each face and bore a %6-inch hole at 
that point. 


The Hub Bearings 

should be of metal to reduce wear to a minimum and to 
make the fan turn freely. 

Shade Bracket Bearings were used on the model and 
they have proved excellent. The outside type of bracket 
(Fig. 379) can be used if you will hack off or file off the 
foot as indicated. The inside bracket (Fig. 380) needs no 
alteration. Place a bracket on each side of the hub, with 
its hole over the hub holes, and fasten with screws. 

Use a stick of the dimensions given in Fig. 381 for 


The Motor Shaft 

Slot one end of the shaft to a depth of 2 inches to re¬ 
ceive the tail, bore a %-inch hole in the opposite end, in 
which to drive the hub pivot, and bore a %6-inch hole 4 
inches from that end for the shaft pivot. 


196 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Shaft Bearings 

may be a pair of shade brackets. Fasten them to the top 
and bottom of the shaft directly over the pivot hole, as 
indicated in Fig. 381. 


Cut Four Fan Blades 

of the dimensions given in Fig. 382. Draw a center line 
as shown, from which to lay off the end dimensions. Cut 




Fig. 382.—Pattern for Fan Blades. 
Fig. 383.—Pattern for Tail. 


the blades out of box boards. If the boards are thicker 
than %6 inch, shave off the ends to fit the hub slots. 
Fasten the blades in the slots with finishing nails. 






































AN AIR MOTOR 


197 


Cut the Tail 

of the dimensions given in Fig. 383, and notch the wide 
end as shown. Fasten the tail in the slotted end of the 
shaft with finishing nails. 

Finish the Parts 

before assembling. Use lacquer or automobile enamel. 
Red fan blades and tail, and green hub and shaft, are sug¬ 
gested as a good color combination. 

Mount the Windmill 

hub and shaft with screw pivots 2% inches long. Place 
an iron washer between the hub bearing and the motor 
shaft and another between the shaft and the post that you 
mount it on. 

Pack the bearings with grease and you will have a silent 
running motor. 

With a little ingenuity you can 

Harness the Air Motor 

by means of spool pulleys and string belts, to operate 
jumping jacks and other small toys. 





AN AIRPLANE 
WEATHER-VANE 


CHAPTER XX 



Boy! This is some weather-vane. It looks just like a 
real airplane, with cabin, wing, elevator, rudder, landing 
chassis, cylinders, and propeller, done in aluminum. In¬ 
deed, when the model is aloft on an iron pipe mast, as in 
the photograph of Fig. 376, silhouetted against the sky, 
now turning this way, now that, with propeller whirling 
merrily, one might mistake it at first glance for a ship in 
flight. 

An advantage that the weather-vane airplane has over 
other model airplanes is this: there is nothing fragile about 
it. It will weather any storm short of a tornado. Of 
course, it has not the appeal of a successful flying model, 
but I suggest that you build and set it up as a symbol of 
your interest in aviation. Let it designate your back yard 
as a model airplane airport, or the garage as a model air¬ 
plane hangar. 

As compared with building a flying model, the work on 
the airplane weather-vane is elementary. Fig. 384 shows 
a side elevation of the model and its pipe support. Figs. 
389 to 396 are patterns for its parts. Figs. 385 to 388 
and Figs. 397 to 405 are assembly details. 


198 






















AN AIRPLANE WEATHER-VANE 


199 



Fig. 384.—Side Elevation of Airplane Weather-Vane Shown in Fig. 376. 
(For convenience, we call the Stabilizer-and-Elevator “ Elevator,’^ 
and the Rudder-and-Fin Rudder.’’) 

Fig. 385.—Rudder Mounted Upon Elevator. 

Fig. 386.—Skid. 

Figs. 387 and 388.—Details of Swivel Base and Iron Pipe Support. 


The Fuselage 

is a piece of 2-by-4. Lay it out by the diagrams of Figs. 
389 and 390, with tapered nose, and the under side tapered 
from nose to tail. A notch in the top of the piece forms 
the cabin windows. After sawing out the fuselage, smooth 
up the curved tail and the rounded nose with a wood-rasp 
and sandpaper. Trim the windows with narrow strips of 
wood, as shown in Fig. 384. 


The Wing 

Cut the wing out of a straight box board % inch thick. 























200 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Fig. 391 shows its dimensions. Screw it to the fuselage 
close to the nose taper. 



Fig. 389.—Side Elevation of Fuselage. 
Fig. 390.—Plan of Fuselage. 

Fig. 391.—Plan of Wing. 



The Elevator and 
Rudder 

would really be the 
stabilizer - and - ele¬ 
vator, and the rud- 
der-and-fin, but we 
shall call them ele¬ 
vator and rudder 
for convenience. 
Cut them out of 









































































V 


AN AIRPLANE WEATHER-VANE 201 

box boards, following the dimensions in Figs. 392 and 
393. Mount the rudder along the center of the elevator, 
as shown in Fig. 385, then screw and nail the elevator to 
the fuselage so that the rudder will hne up with and be¬ 
come part of the curved end. 

Braces 

The wing and elevator braces are strips of galvanized 
iron. Drill the strip ends, and bend them, as shown in 
Fig. 405. Then screw the lower ends to the fuselage, and 
rivet the upper ends to the wing and elevator. Drill holes 
for the brace screws and rivets. 

The Propeller 

is carved after the manner of model airplane propellers, 
but the blades are thicker. Start with a block of the 
dimensions given in Fig. 394. Lay it out as you would a 
model propeller, and carve it as shown in Figs. 395 and 396. 

Use a %-inch round-headed screw 1% inches long, and 
three iron washers, for mounting the propeller. Drill a 
hole in the nose of the fuselage, and drive the screw home 
with one washer between the screw head and hub, and 
two washers between the hub and nose. Drive the screw 
straight so that the propeller will run true. 

Trim the hub with the cap from a talcum powder can 
(Fig. 399). This will look something like 

The Spinner Cap on The Spirit of St. Louis.’’ Snip 
the edge of the tin cap (Fig. 400), and bend out two ears, 
as shown, upon opposite sides. Fit the cap over the hub, 


202 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


and fasten the ears to the propeller blades with small brads 
or rivets (Fig. 399). 



Cylinders 

Form these around the engine cowling with pot-cover 
knobs (Fig. 401). Colonel Lindbergh’s Wright whirlwind 
motor had nine cylinders. Nine small knobs wiU fit 
around the nose without crowding (Fig. 397). Bevel the 
bottoms of the knobs to make them fit squarely upon the 
tapered nose (Fig. 384). Substitute 1-inch screws for the 
knob bolts. 






























AN AIRPLANE WEATHER-VANE 


203 



Fig. 397.—Front Elevation of Airplane Weather-Vane. 
Fig. 398.—Propeller Mounting. 

Figs. 399 and 400.—Details of Spinner Cap. 

Fig. 401.—Pot-Cover Knob Cylinder. 

Figs. 402-404. —Details of Chassis. 

Fig. 405.—Wing Brace. 


The Landing Chassis 

is shown in the photograph of Fig. 376 and Fig. 397 of the 
diagrams. Use screw-hooks 3% inches long for the wheel 
struts (Fig. 402), and a pair of toy wagon wheels and their 
axle (Fig. 403). Screw the screw-hooks into the fuselage 
at the points indicated in Figs. 384 and 397, slanted as 
shown. Then wire the wheel axle to the hook ends (Fig. 
404), and make a neat housing of solder, as shown in 
Fig. 397. 


The Tail Skid 

is another screw-hook, with the end bent nearly straight 
(Fig. 386). Screw it into the fuselage at the point shown. 


























204 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Finishing 

Sandpaper surfaces that need smoothing. Then give the 
entire model a coat of shellac as a filler, and when this has 
dried, apply two coats of radiator aluminum paint. If 
you want to, letter Spirit of St. Louis ” upon the fuselage, 
the symbol “NX211 upon the wing, and upon 

the tail. The scale drawings in Chapter XI show where to 
place them. 


The Swivel Base 

must turn easily. An excellent base can be made of 
An Electric Outlet Box Cover like that in Fig. 387. 
Buy one for a dime at a hardware store. This iron cover 
has a center hole of the right size for a screw pivot. Pivot 
it on the fuselage at the point indicated in Fig. 389. If 
it has a projecting rim around its center hole, as indicated 
in Fig. 387, bore a hole in the ^dge of the fuselage large 
enough for this rim to set into, then slip an iron washer 
into the hole for a bearing. Use a screw 1% inches long 
for the pivot, one with a head large enough so its bevel 
will seat itself on the edge of the iron cover hole. Make a 
nice adjustment here, and the iron cover will spin upon 
the washer with little or no friction. 

An Iron Pipe Support 

is neater than a wooden post because it can be of smaller 
diameter. Pipe 1 inch or 1 % inches in diameter (inside 
measurement) is large enough. You can get a 20-foot 
length of it, or shorter length. Buy an iron fioor flange to 


AN AIRPLANE WEATHER-VANE 


205 


fit the upper end (Fig. 384). Two of the screw holes in 
the floor flange should match up with holes in the electric 
outlet box cover. Bolt the box cover to the floor flange 
with a pair of stove bolts. 

Set about 30 inches of the lower end of the pipe support 
into the ground. That will hold it in an upright position, 
but 

A Concrete Base like that shown in Fig. 277 for a radio 
aerial mast will make a more secure footing. 

The Points of the Compass 
were not mounted upon the airplane weather-vane support 
shown in the photograph of Fig. 376. It was thought that 
they would detract from the airplane weather-vane. But 
you can readily devise a set of arms and letters, and bolt 
them to the iron pipe, if you feel that it will make your 
model more complete. 



Collecting is one of the most interesting of hobbies, 
and it may be made instructive by study. Some collec¬ 
tions have no commercial value, others have great value. 
It is largely a matter of whether the items collected are 
plentiful or scarce. Often age enters into it. A collec¬ 
tion handed down from one generation to another is of 
more value from a collector’s standpoint than one newly 
made. Then there is the individual valuation. What some 
boys enjoy collecting, you wouldn’t care for, and vice versa. 

If you have studied the photograph of Anton Watkin’s 
den, in Fig. 19, Chapter III, you have noted that the room 
qualifies very well as a home museum. You can fix up 

Your Own Room as a Museum 
by adopting Anton’s method of displaying specimens upon 
the walls and building racks and shelves for collections that 
cannot be framed or otherwise prepared for hanging. And 
if you finish off an attic room, as suggested in Chapter III, 
you will have greater opportunity to install exhibits there 
than in any other place in the house. 

206 




















BSBi 




Fig. 421. —Coin Collection. Fig. 422. —Knot Board. 

Fig. 420. —View of Bill Jones’ Museum. 

Fig. 423.— Leaf Collection. Fig. 424. —Jars for Insects. 
Fig. 425. —Cracker-Box Aquakium. 














































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A MUSEUM 


207 


Bill Jones’ Museum 

is one of the most interesting of quarters to my way of 
thinking. It was adjudged a prize in a recent ‘^Home 
Museum ” contest conducted by The Boy Craftsman 
League.” A section of the room is shown in the photo¬ 
graph of Fig. 420. Here is a brief description of Bill’s 
museum and exhibits, and if it makes you envious, I hope 
that it also gives you the museum “ bug.” 

Bill found an excellent setting for his exhibits in the 
second story of a garage, which is well lighted with win¬ 
dows at either end. On the two side walls, he put up 
shelves, racks, hooks and pegs, then grouped the exhibits 
according to their classifications. 

The most striking group in the museum is one of relics 
from the fields of the World War—helmets, a trench peri¬ 
scope, machine-gun armor, a shell, cartridges, chevrons, 
badges and medals. 

Next to these is a collection of guns, swords, bayonets, 
and knives, a veritable arsenal. 

Not many lads possess relics such as these, and Bill may 
seem to have an unfair advantage in outfitting his museum 
with exhibits collected by others. But the quantity and 
variety of articles that he had to provide for, made his a 
difiicult task, indeed, which he carried out very well, judg¬ 
ing from his photographs and detailed descriptions of ar¬ 
ranging and cataloging. 

Note, also, these exhibits. A collection of insects 
mounted, named and classified, another of minerals, one of 
Indian arrow-heads, one of coins, one of woods, one of 


208 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


souvenirs from different parts of the United States and 
Mexico, skins of small animals, several mounted small 
animals, a mounted black bird, and jars of preserved 
snakes, frogs, and turtles. 

In addition. Bill has a collection of bird pictures, an¬ 
other of school pennants and trophies, one of letters from 
foreign lands, foreign newspapers and comics. 

A Boy Scout Troop Museum 
with good leadership and full cooperation of the boys, has 
greater possibilities of development than the individual 
collection. Start a museum in your patrol, and let it be 
the nucleus for the troop museum. It is surprising what 
a variety of material can be brought together by a group 
of fellows organized for the job and enthusiastic about the 
work. 


A Stamp Collection 

makes a good start for a museum. Of course, you have 
one. There are few boys who haven’t. A standard album 
is best for a collection. But you can mount a selection of 
rare stamps upon cardboard, put the cardboard in a picture 
frame and hang the frame upon a wall. 

Duplicate Stamps for exchanges should be classified so 
they can be found readily. A good way to keep them is 
in envelopes, one envelope for each country, province or 
state. Letter the names on the face, then arrange the 
envelopes alphabetically, and make a wooden or cardboard 
file to keep them in. 


A MUSEUM 


209 


A Coin Collection 

may be made as interesting as a stamp collection. One 
supplements the other, and the collector of stamps gen¬ 
erally collects coins. Almost every family has a few rare 
coins. Let your wants be known among relatives and 
friends, and you will be rewarded with a nucleus for a col¬ 
lection. 

An interesting collection of pennies may be made at a 
little cost. A century’s issues may be collected in a gen¬ 
eration. Start a century collection now, with as early 
nineteen-hundred pennies as you can get. Examine all 
change that passes through your hands. If you sell news¬ 
papers, you will have an excellent opportunity to find the 
coins that you need. Make a list of the dates. Ask your 
friends to watch for them. Tell your needs to a store 
cashier or bank teller. The pennies of a period of twenty 
years can be collected in a surprisingly short time. 

The photograph in Fig. 421 shows a coin collection of 
mine that hangs in my studio, where it is a curiosity to 
every boy visitor. Begun by an uncle, who was killed on 
the battlefield while yet a boy, the collection was com¬ 
pleted by my father. An interesting feature of this collec¬ 
tion is that it contains a penny for each year from 1800 
to 1900, except two, of which the issue was small. 

Mount Your Coins 

upon cardboard, then frame the cardboard. You do not 
need a large frame. No doubt there is one in your store¬ 
room that will serve. A frame of the proportions shown 


210 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


in Fig. 406 will hold a half-century penny collection. You 
can glue the coins to the cardboard backing, but a better 



Fig. 406.—Half-Century Penny Coin Collection. 

Fig. 407.—Mat for Coin Frame. 

Fig. 408.—Passe-Partout Frame. 

Fig. 409.—Arrange Stone Specimens on Tray Like This. 

Fig. 410.—Bottle for Small Stones and Minerals. 

Fig. 411.—Screw-Cap Jar for Katydids and Other Large Insects. 
Fig. 412.—Box Case for Moths and Butterflies. 

Fig. 413.—Index Card for File. 

plan is to prepare a mat with openings in it of the correct 
size for the coins to fit in, like the mat shown in Fig. 407. 
If the mat is thick and you insert a piece of wallboard 
or other stiff backing that will keep the mat pressed close 
to the glass, there will be no chance for the coins to slip 


























































A MUSEUM 


211 


out of place, and you will not have to affix them. But 
as a matter of precaution it is better to add a touch of 
glue or cement to the back of each coin. Ambroid or 
similar cement is a better adhesive for metal than glue. 

To Prepare the Coin Mat rule horizontal lines, one for 
each row. Then with a coin for a marker, pencil out the 
openings, and cut them with a sharp jack knife. 

If you cannot find a picture frame for your collection, 
make 

A Passe Partout Frame. Get a piece of glass to fit the 
coin mat, at a paint store. Place the mat and backing on 
the glass, and bind together the edges of the glass, coin 
mat and backing with passe partout paper or other 
gummed tape (Fig. 408). Attach brass rings to the back¬ 
ing for hangers. 


A Knot Board 

Every Boy Scout’s museum should have a knot board. 
Just as your aim is to collect as many different stamps, 
or different coins, as possible, it should be your ambition 
to make as complete a collection of knots as you can. 
The photograph of Fig. 422 shows a well planned knot 
board, the work of Troop 2, Elmhurst, Illinois, under the 
guidance of Scoutmaster Harry T. Richards. Your scout 
handbook shows some fifty knots and hitches, and the 
Columbian Rope Company, Auburn, New York, has pub¬ 
lished an illustrated folder of knot charts, with many addi¬ 
tional forms. 

Make the Knot Board of a piece of heavy wallboard, or 


212 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


a sheet of lighter-weight board tacked to battens, or a piece 
of plywood. You can finish the wallboard or plywood with 
stain and varnish, or enamel. Fasten the knots and hitches 
to the board with loops of heavy linen thread or with 
staples. A piece of heavy rope, or braided rope makes a 
good finish for the edge of the board. Typewrite, print 
or hand letter the names of the knots and hitches upon 
slips of heavy paper or light-weight cardboard, and fasten 
these below the specimens. Attach a pair of hangers to 
the back of the knot board. 

A Rock and Mineral Collection 
is easy to get together. With diligent searching, you will 
discover many specimens in your vicinity. You will pick 
them up on hikes and motor trips. And friends who know 
of your hobby will bring you specimens on their return 
from travels. 

Place your dark specimens on light backgrounds, and 
light specimens on dark backgrounds, to show them up to 
the best advantage. Use wallboard, plywood, or boards 
cleated to prevent warping, for trays. Stain or enamel the 
surfaces, or cover them with cloth. Fasten the specimens 
with bands of linen thread, or bands of tape, as shown in 
Fig. 409. Affix an identification label beside each. 

Put tiny stones and crystals in bottles (Fig. 410). 

A Shell Collection 

may be a part of your stone and mineral collection, but 
keep specimens on separate trays. 


A MUSEUM 


213 


A Collection of Leaves 

helps you in learning to know them. You will find sug¬ 
gestions for making a herbarium for pressing specimens 
in Chapter XIII of Outdoor Boy Craftsmen.’^ The 
photograph of Fig. 423 shows a few specimens from the 
collection of Wilson White, mounted on cards. 

An Insect Collection 

is always interesting and instructive. Chapter XIII of 

Outdoor Boy Craftsmen ” tells how to make a hand net, 
trap, killing jar, observatory, spreading board and speci¬ 
men cabinet. 

Glass Jars with screw tops, and small bottles, like those 
shown in Fig. 411 and the photograph of Fig. 424, are best 
for preserving grasshoppers, katydids and the larger forms 
of insect life. 

Box Cases with glass tops, like that in Fig. 412, are best 
for moths, butterflies and other delicately organized speci¬ 
mens. Cut down the sides of a candy box and its cover to 
a depth of 1 inch, cut a panel from the top of the cover, 
leaving a %-inch margin of cardboard around the edges, 
and get a piece of glass to fit snugly in the cover. Glue 
the glass to the cover, fill the box with cotton batting, on 
which to place specimens, and stick pins through the cover 
and box sides, as indicated, to lock the assembled case. 

A Photograph Collection 

will probably appeal to you, because of its wide range of 
possibilities. Use your camera instead of a gun to “ shoot 


214 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


animal and bird specimens. Some big-game hunters hunt 
with a camera in preference to a gun, and carry a gun 
only as a means of defense. Try camera hunting this 
summer. Shoot bird nests, before and after the eggs have 
been hatched. Set up a screen through which to photo¬ 
graph birds and animals in their natural surroundings. 

A Photograph Album is best for preserving a set of 
prints, but you will also want to frame your best pictures. 

A Folding Screen like that shown in the photograph of 
Fig. 18 has good surfaces for the display of prints. Such 
a screen may be used in your museum to separate exhibits. 

A Card Index of Exhibits 

will be interesting, after you have your museum well 
organized. If you own a printing press or rubber-type 
outfit, set up a form like that shown in Fig. 413. Print it 
upon 3-by-5 index cards and make or buy a filing cabinet 
to hold them. 

Collections that cannot be framed or otherwise prepared 
for hanging, are best displayed in 

A Specimen Cabinet 

A good cabinet for the museum can be built of packing 
boxes. Fig. 414 shows a cabinet made of two boxes 19 
inches wide, 22 inches long and 9 inches deep. Get the 
boxes at a paint store. 

After reinforcing the box boards with additional nailing, 
fasten one box upon the other as in Fig. 415. Cut 

Shelves to fit, and fasten two at the right distance apart 


A MUSEUM 


215 



Fig. 414.—Specimen Cabinet. 

Figs. 415-417.—Details of Cabinet. 
Fig. 418.—Box Drawer. 

Fig. 419.—Spool Drawer-Knob. 


















































































































































































































































216 BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 

to accommodate small box drawers, the others with equal 
spacing. 

To Trim the Cabinet, cut a board of the shape of Fig. 
416, nail it across the front of the lower box, and nail two 
pieces of the same width across the box ends. Cut a 
board of the shape of Fig. 417, nail it across the front of 
the upper box, and nail two pieces to match it, across the 
ends. Trim the box edges and shelf edges with pieces 
ripped from lattice strips or laths. 

Cabinet Drawers. Boxes that codfish is sold in (Fig. 
418) make excellent cabinet drawers. Use silk-twist spools 
for knobs, and attach them to the box ends with stove bolts 
(Fig. 419), or buy small pot-cover knobs at a hardware 
store. 

Finish the Cabinet with two coats of enamel, of what¬ 
ever color or colors you want. 





CHAPTER XXII 

A CRACKER-BOX 
AQUARIUM 



If goldfish required a daily airing, three square meals, 
changes of bedding and a Saturday night bath, parking a 
kennel, herd, flock or school of goldfish somewhere about 
the house, would probably become one of our leading 
indoor sports. The goldfish corner of newspapers would be 
as popular as the kennel news, and the fine points which 
determine prize winning stock—head development, eyes, 
ears, tails, colors, poise, personality, and what not, would 
become the leading topic of conversation at home and at 
social gatherings. 

But goldfish require no grooming, and little else. Indeed, 
they are more apt to die from over attention than from 
neglect. That takes the fun out of the thing for some 
people, triflers, who tire of their toy when there is nothing 
more to do with it. There is a lot more fun to keeping 
goldfish pets, however, than you may imagine. Go in for 
the finer varieties, tropical fish, life-bearing fish. Dealers 
in pets will show you interesting specimens, or tell you 
where to send for them. You can breed them, too, and 
you will find this fascinating work and remunerative, since 

217 


















218 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


tropical species retail at fifty cents apiece and up. I know 
a fellow who makes a hobby of raising goldfish. He has 
gone into the game to such an extent that, besides having 
tanks in almost every room in the house, he has preempted 
the bathtub for a stock tank. Some families might object 
to sharing the tub with their goldfish. A hobby can be 
carried too far. 

A Well-Balanced Aquarium 
stocked with fish, a snail or two, and water plants, will 
nearly take care of itself. The plants will keep the water 
pure and supply food. The snails will serve as scavengers. 

Do Not Change Water. Add fresh water to replace 
that which evaporates. If the tank requires cleaning, 
remove the fish and the water. But pour back the same 
water after cleaning the tank. 

When a Fish Becomes Sick, swims unsteadily, flounders, 
do not call in a specialist. He can do no more than you 
can. There is only one cure-all, first-aid remedy. Fill a 
basin with water, add a tablespoonful of salt, and transfer 
the sick fish with a dip-net. If it doesn’t revive within a 
short time, its case is hopeless. 

Feed Sparingly. A small amount of prepared natural 
fish food a day is sufficient. Comply with the food carton’s 
directions. Fish sickness is largely due to overfeeding. 

Difficulty in Building Wood-and-Glass Aquarium 

When I was a lad, I read an article on how to build an 
aquarium of wood and glass. It appeared wonderfully 


A CRACKER-BOX AQUARIUM 


219 


fine in the illustrations, and I always intended to build 
one, but I never got at it. The difficulty with a wooden 
base and framework is in making joints that will stay 
tight, because wood has a tendency to shrink, split, and 
twist. A wooden frame will soon go to pieces unless built 
of thick stock. An all-metal frame is better. 

The Tin Cracker-Box Aquarium 
shown in the photograph of Fig. 425 is an exceptionally 
good home-made model. I devised it after experimenting 
with strips of angle iron and deciding that to join these 
at the corners would be too difficult a job for the average 
boy. The cracker-box aquarium requires the following 

Materials 

Buy a tin cracker box at your grocery. If, by chance, 
the grocer hasnT one, substitute a bread box. In addition 
to the box, buy a dozen %-inch stove-bolts % inch long, 
and two pieces of glass of a width and length determined 
by the inside measurements of the box. Glass has been 
used in only two sides of this aquarium. This is sufficient 
for illumination, and makes a stronger job. 

Make Your Aquarium Cement of a dime’s worth of 
litharge, a nickel’s worth of powdered rosin and a nickel’s 
worth of plaster-of-Paris, some fine sand, and a little boiled 
linseed oil. To make the cement, mix dry 3 parts of 
litharge, 3 parts of plaster-of-Paris, 3 parts of sand and 1 
part of rosin. Then add enough linseed oil to make a stiff 
putty. 


220 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS^ HOBBIES 


Prepare the Box This Way 
Pig. 426 shows the cracker box, with openings cut in 
two opposite sides, and one piece of glass set in place. The 
other piece of glass, and its corner angles, are shown in 
Figs. 429 to 431. The plan diagram (Fig. 427) shows how 
the corner angles overlap the edges of the glass, and how 
they are bolted to the box. 



Fig. 426.—Cracker-Box Aquarium, Shown Completed 
in Photograph of Fig. 425. 

Fig. 427.—Plan of Cracker-Box Aquarium. 

Fig. 428.—Pattern for Corner Angle Strip. 

Fig. 429.—Glass for Side of Aquarium. 

Figs. 430 and 431.—Corner Angle Strips. 
























































































A CRACKER-BOX AQUARIUM 221 

Make the margins of tin around the openings 1% inches 
wide. Cut the openings with tinsnips or a cold chisel, and 
finish the edges smooth with a file. 

Use the tin removed from the openings for material for 
the four corner angle strips. Fig. 428 shows a pattern 
for these strips and Figs. 430 and 431 show two of them 
ready to attach. Drill three bolt holes through one-half 
of each strip, or punch them with a nail and smooth off 
the rough edges with a file. Bend the strips along the 
center, as indicated by dotted lines. Punch corresponding 
holes through the box sides. 

Before assembling the aquarium. 

Paint the Tin. But use nothing for the inside but as- 
phaltum paint. I used white enamel on my model, and 
experienced no injurious effects on the fish. But Mr. Hans 
Jensen, authority on goldfish, and builder of the tanks in 
the Lincoln Park Aquarium and Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, 
says that he has experimented with every kind of paint 
and found all injurious except asphaltum paint. Paint the 
outside white, or any color that you want. Use lacquer or 
enamel. 

Set the Glass when the paint has hardened. Smear the 
aquarium cement over the tin, around the opening, and 
embed the glass in it. Then smear the corner angle strips 
with cement, set them in place against the glass, and fasten 
them with stove bolts. Before screwing the nuts tight, run 
in additional cement back of the strips. Allow the 
cemented aquarium to stand at least two days. Then fill 
it with water to test it for leaks. If there are any leaks, 


222 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


empty the tank, calk the leaky places, and allow the 
cement to harden before refilling with water. 

A Castle for the Aquarium 
You can buy all sorts of castles for aquariums, but a 
home-made model of cement, like the one I made for my 
aquarium, shown in Fig. 432, is just as good. But do not 
place it in the aquarium after casting until the cement 



Fig. 432.—Cement Castle. 
Fig. 433.—Cardboard Form. 


has had a chance to season, because green cement is in¬ 
jurious to fish. Let the castle stand in a tub or pail of 
water, with frequent changes of water, for several weeks 
to season it. 

Make a Form for the castle by twisting cardboard into 
the frustum of a cone, as shown in Fig. 433, with a base 
diameter of 3% inches, a top diameter of 2 inches, and a 
height of 4 inches. 

Mix Sand and Cement in the proportions of 1 part 


















A CRACKER-BOX AQUARIUM 223 

cement to 2 parts sand, and add enough water to make a 
stiff mixture. 

Build the Castle Walls around the cardboard form, with 
corner towers, as shown in Fig. 432. Allow the cement to 
set, but before it has become very hard take an old knife 
and a sharpened stick, and scoop out the arched doorways 
and the windows, and smooth off the surfaces. 

Stocking the Aquarium 

When you are ready to stock the aquarium, cover the 
bottom with sand to a depth of 1 inch, place the castle in 
the center, arrange the water plants around it, with roots 
in the sand, and fill the tank about two-thirds full with 
water. 



You have read about the estabhshment of bird sanc¬ 
tuaries in forest preserves, parks and cemeteries and on 
large estates. The movement is spreading. But it need 
not be limited to large areas. You can have a bird sanc¬ 
tuary in your yard, or at your summer home. Fitting up 
and maintaining a sanctuary is one of the best of hobbies. 
You will put up many bird-houses, baths, feeding-racks, 
and nesting-material racks. You will plant shrubs bearing 
fruits attractive to birds. You will provide protection from 
cats and other bird enemies. And when the birds have 
taken possession of your home-made shelters and you see 
them flying to and from them, if you do not experience the 
thrill that comes with the first successful flight of a home¬ 
made airplane, I should say that you are not more than 
fifty per cent airminded. 

Every bird lover grows enthusiastic when speaking of his 
bird garden. Among my reader mail comes a letter from 
Norman E. Klenck, from which I quote the following: 

I 

Last fall and winter I built models of all the bird 
houses described in your handicraft books, for my bird 

224 


























Fig. 434. —Wren Hut. Fig. 435. —Bluebird House. 
Fig. 436. —Wren or Bluebird House. 

Fig. 437.—Tree-Stump Bird Bath. 

Fig. 438.— a Bird Bath and a Fish Pond. 








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A BIRD SANCTUARY 


225 


sanctuary, and have found the designs very successful. 
Most of the houses are already occupied, and so are eight 
of my ten robin shelters. Among the birds now nesting 
are three pairs of bluebirds, two pairs of wrens, two pairs 
of flickers, one pair of red-headed woodpeckers, one pair 
of nuthatches, and three pairs of martins.^’ 

Plans for three simple houses and a nesting material 
depot are shown in this chapter, a winter feeder is shown 
in Chapter XIV, and two bird baths are shown in Chapter 
XXIV. There is not room in this book for more suggestions 
than these, but you will find additional plans in Handi¬ 
craft for Handy Boys,’’ Carpentry and Mechanics for 
Boys ” and Outdoor Boy Craftsmen.” If you do not own 
these books, you will find them in your public library. 

A Wren Hut 

All that you need for the wren house shown in the photo¬ 
graph of Fig. 434 is a cocoanut shell, a piece of box board, 
three wood screws, or small nails, and a screw-eye. 

To Prepare the Cocoanut, drill a hole in the side 

of the shell for the doorway, and drain off the milk. Then 
cut away the top of the shell with a saw, remove the meat, 
and scrape the shell clean. 

Make the Roof octagonal in shape, as shown in the 
diagram of Fig. 439, inscribing the octagon in an 8-inch 
circle. Or make the roof 7 inches square, if you want to. 
After cutting the board, sandpaper the edges, then paint 
it green or brown, and screw a screw-eye into its center 
for a wire hanger. 


226 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


To Assemble, drill three or four holes through the top 
of the shell, slanting them so nails or screws can be driven 



Fig. 439.—Lay Out Octagonal Roof Like This for 
Wren Hut Shown in Fig. 434. 


through into the roof board. If you use screws, it will be 
easier to remove the shell to clean out the old nest. 

A Bluebird House 

The photograph of Fig. 435 shows an attractive bluebird 
house that is simpler to build than it looks. As you will 
see by the cross-section of Fig. 440, only the front of the 
house has curves. The sides are straight. Fig. 441 shows 
a cross-section through the front and back. 

















A BIRD SANCTUARY 


227 


Lay Out the Front by the pattern in Fig. 442. Draw 
horizontal and vertical lines with a spacing of % inch, to 



Figs. 440 and 441.—Sections Through Bluebird House Shown in 

Fig. 435. 


form a set of squares similar to those on the pattern, and 
upon these squares draw the outline of one-half of the 
pattern. Then draw a center line upon a piece of 10-inch 
board, % or % inch thick, and reproduce the half pattern 
on each side of the line. Cut out the piece with a coping- 
saw. 

Lay Out the Back Board by the pattern of Fig. 443; 

The Side Boards by the dimensions given in cross-sec¬ 
tions Figs. 440 and 441. Slant the tops of the side boards 
to conform to the slant of the front and back pieces. 

The Roof Boards must be large enough to project 1% 















































228 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


inches at the front, and % inch over the ends of the front 
piece. Bevel their inner edges to make a neat joint at the 
ridge. 



Fig. 442.—Pattern for Front. 
Fig. 443.—Pattern for Back. 


The Floor (D) fits between the walls, and is hinged to 
the bottom edge of the back wall, to open. Bore a %-inch 
hole through the front of the house, and another in the 
edge of the floor board, for a peg (F). This peg, pushed 
into the holes, locks the floor in place and serves as a perch. 

The Doorway for a bluebird should be 11/2 inches in 
diameter, and located about 6 inches above the floor. 





























































A BIRD SANCTUARY 


229 


Nail a short piece of tree branch below the opening for a 
perch. 

The Hanger for this house is a strip 2 inches wide and 
15 inches long (G, Fig. 441). Drill a hole through it near 
each end, for screws. Nail the strip to the back of the 
house. 

Paint the bluebird house with brown paint, then 

Shingle the Roof with strips of slate-coated shingles. 

A Wren or Bluebird House 

The design shown in the photograph of Fig. 436 may be 
adapted either to wrens or bluebirds, by making a yg-inch. 
doorway for wrens or a 1%-inch doorway for bluebirds. If 
you 

Build Houses to Sell, in addition to those you build for 
your bird sanctuary, adopt a design such as this, and build 
a quantity alike, then bore doorways when you have ob¬ 
tained your orders and know how many wren and how 
many bluebird houses you need. By this plan, you will 
first build a house for a model, complete in every detail. 
Then you will mark out all the end pieces, sides, fioors 
and roof boards for the entire lot, cut them and assemble 
them. This method is a time saver, and will enable you 
to lay out parts with the least possible waste of material. 

Dimensions of Parts are given in the cross-section (Fig. 
444), and the longitudinal section (Fig. 445). 

The Side Pieces B must have their upper edges beveled 
to correspond to the pitch of the roof. Their height will 
be determined by the side edges of 


230 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


End Pieces A. Lay out one end piece and use it for a 
pattern for marking the second piece. 

The Floor Board C must be beveled on two edges to 
fit the sloping sides. 



Figs. 444 and 445. —Sections Through Wren or Bluebird House Shown 

in Fig. 436. 

Eave Strips F and G trim up the ends of the roof 
boards, and batten together 

The Roof Boards. Notice that roof board D is enough 
narrower than board E to allow for the overlapping of the 
latter (Fig. 444). Notch two 2-by-2 inch blocks to fit over 
the ridge for 

Hanger Blocks H, and screw a screw-eye into the top of 
each. Fit the ridge strips I and J in place as shown. 

For Spring Cleaning, fasten the floor board with screws 
so that it may be removed easily. 















































A BIRD SANCTUARY 


231 


A Nesting Material Depot 
Stock this little self-help supply depot with bits of string 
and thread, wisps of dried grass, and combings; hang it 
from a tree branch in plain view of your window, and you 
will see dozens of feathered shoppers flying to it, then 
away with nesting material. Indeed, a little luxury like 
this often results in more nests in the vicinity. 



Fig. 446.—Nesting-Material Depot. 

Fig. 447.—Center Stick Support. 

Fig. 448. —Tin Funnel Roof. 

Figs. 449 and 450.—Nesting-Mate rial Cage. 

Fig. 451.—Can-Cover Bottom for Depot. 

The depot is made of a tin funnel, a stick, a tin can 
cover and a piece of poultry netting. The tin funnel forms 
the roof. That used on the model illustrated measures 6 I /2 
inches across the rim, which is plenty large enough. 






























232 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Cut the Center Stick Support 11% inches long (Fig. 
447 ), whittle off the top end to fit the spout of 

The Tin Funnel Roof. Fasten the funnel to the stick 
end with a small nail driven through the side of the spout 
(Fig. 448). Screw a screw-eye into the top of the stick 
to attach a hanger to. 

The Nesting Material Cage is enclosed with 1-inch 
poultry netting. Buy a foot of the narrowest width that 
your hardware dealer carries. To form the cylinder (Fig. 
449), bring the ends of the netting together (Fig. 450), 
and twist them around each other. The diameter of the 
cylinder will be determined by the size of the cover used 
for the base. That of the model is 4 inches. 

To Assemble the material depot, fit the wire cylinder 
inside the rim of the can cover, then slip a screw through 
a hole punched through the center of the cover (Fig. 451) 
and drive it into the end of the stick support. 

Finishing. Of course, you must paint the depot to pre¬ 
serve it, and for appearance’s sake. Apply two coats of 
green or white paint. 



CHAPTER XXIV 


BIRD BATHS AND A 
FISH-POOL 


With room and board, the tenants of your bird sanc¬ 
tuary may be satisfied to bathe in a neighbor's pool, but it 
is barely possible that they may decide to take up their 
abode where there are complete accommodations. Take no 
chances. Install a bath. You can build one quickly, and 
you will be repaid for your efforts by the great numbers 
of birds that will patronize it. Not only the house-nesting 
birds will use it, but also those that nest in trees, in shrubs 
and on the ground. You will see species that you are not 
acquainted with, the more timid in the early dawn, the 
bolder throughout the day, with numbers increasing and 
bathing more prolonged, as the weather grows warmer. 
If you will conceal yourself near by, what a chance for bird 
study! And with camera in hand, what a chance to make 
a photographic record! 

f 

A Tree-Stump Bath 

Almost any shallow container will do for a bird bath. 
The photograph of Fig. 437 shows a bath made by fasten¬ 
ing the cover of a garbage can upon a tree stump. A cover 

233 


























234 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


can be found easily, for the cover generally remains after 
the can has rusted through. 

To Mount the Cover on a stump or post driven into the 
ground, first cut its handle in two, at its center, with a 
hacksaw or file. Then bend up the cut halves, and drill 
or punch a hole near each end, as shown in Fig. 452, for 
nails or screws, to nail or screw the halves to opposite sides 
of the tree stump or post support. 



Fig. 452.—Garbage-Can Cover for Bird Bath Shown in Fig. 437. 
Fig. 453.—Rustic Bird Bath. 

Fig. 454.—Halve Branches Like This for Framework. 

Before you attach the cover, give it two coats of green 
or white paint to protect the metal from rust. 






















































BIRD BATHS AND A FISH-POOL 


235 


A Rustic Bath 

can be begun in the same way, by mounting a can cover 
upon a tree stump, then enclosing it with a framework of 
branches crossed and nailed. But it makes a better job to 
halve the ends of the branches as in Fig. 453, so that the 
tops will be on the same level. This requires notching as 
shown in Fig. 454. Drill holes through the branch ends for 
the nails used in assembling the framework. It will pre¬ 
vent splitting. 

A Fish-Pond or Water-Garden 
Your interest in this pool will be in building it and 
stocking it with fish. Mother’s interest will be in its pos¬ 
sibilities as a water-garden. The double purpose makes it 
well worth the small cost and labor to build it; it also 
establishes a needed balance. Fish feed upon mosquito 
larvae, preventing a mosquito menace. Plant life keeps 
the water fresh and provides fish with oxygen and food. 
The photograph of Fig. 438 shows 
A Concrete Pool that requires no wooden forms for 
casting. Omitting forms greatly simplifies the work, espe¬ 
cially in building a circular or irregular pool. Indeed, little 
preparation is necessary before casting this pool. 

The Size of the Pool will depend on its location, and its 
plantings. The pool in the photograph has an inside 
diameter of 10 feet, and a maximum depth of 18 inches. 
It is deep enough for water lilies and most water-garden 
plants. 

Mark Out the Pool upon the spot it is to occupy, by 


236 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


describing a circle with a piece of rope looped over a center 
stake, and a sharpened stick or marker slipped through a 
second loop formed at a distance equal to the desired 







Fig. 455.—Mark Out Circular Pool, Shown in Fig. 438, This Way. 

Fig. 456.—Cross-Section of Excavation. 

Fig. 457.—Cross-Section Showing Three Inches of Concrete on Pool 
Bottom. 

Fig. 458.—Cross-Section Showing Poultry Wire Reinforcing. 

Fig. 459.—Cross-Section Showing Two Inches of Concrete on Wire Re¬ 
inforcing. 

Fig. 460.—Cross-Section of Completed Pool. 


radius for the circle (Fig. 455). After scratching the circle 
upon the ground 

Excavate to a Depth of Four Inches around the edge 




























BIRD BATHS AND A FISH-POOL 


237 


(Fig. 456), and from this point slope the excavation grad¬ 
ually to its maximum depth of 18 inches. Drive the center 
stake deeper as you dig, to retain the marking of the center. 

Make the Rim Level, for any irregularity will be notice¬ 
able when the water level has been established. Test the 
rim with a spirit level placed upon the center of a straight- 
edged board or plank long enough to span the excavation, 
or, with a basin of water placed similarly. Build up the 
edge where it proves to beSlow, and cut it down where it 
is high. 

Tamp Down the Earth along the edge and over the slop¬ 
ing bottom of the excavation, to make it compact, using 

A Home-Made Tamper like that shown in Fig. 461. The 
base of the tamper is a piece of plank, the 
handle is a piece of 2-by-4 spiked to the base. 

A Cinder Sub Base. If the ground is well 
drained, you can place concrete directly upon 
the tamped earth. If not, spread several inches 
of clean cinders or gravel over the surface and 
tamp them down. The excavation must be 
made deep enough to provide for the cinder sub 
base. 

Material for Concrete. The following ma¬ 
terial is needed for a pool of the size shown: 4 

, , ^ 1 • . i- Fig. 461.— 

bags of Portland cement, 9 cubic leet oi coarse Make Tam- 

sand and 18 cubic feet of crushed stone or Fo^TamS 
gravel. This will make a mixture of the pro- Concrete, 
portions of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 4 parts stone. 
You should have 






238 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


A Mixing Box about 30 inches wide and 5 feet long. A 
pail is convenient for measuring materials. 

To Mix a Batch of Concrete, first mix the sand and 
stone, dry, hoeing them to one end of the box and back 
again; then add the cement, mix it through the sand and 
stone, and add enough water in a hollow formed in the pile 
to make a quaky, jelly-like mixture. 

Shovel the Concrete Into the Excavation, spread it 
evenly over the surface to a depth of 3 inches, and tamp 
it down to form a compact mass (Fig. 457). 

Reinforcing. With 3 inches of concrete in place, use 
galvanized wire poultry netting for reinforcing. Spread 
this over the concrete, with edges lapped, and 6 inches or 
so of it projecting over the rim (Fig. 458). 

Add Two Inches of Concrete on top of the reinforcing, 
tamp it down, and trowel its surface to make it even and 
smooth. 

Finish the Edge of the Pool with a coping of stone, 
field stone, quarry stone, or pieces of broken concrete slabs. 
It is generally easy to find broken sidewalk slabs, when 
nothing else is available. Dig around the edge of the pool 
to the depth of the concrete, fill in with broken stone, and 
tamp this down. Then lay up a wall about 6 inches high 
(Figs. 459 and 460), levelling up the pieces with cement 
mortar and chips of stone. 

Frost may disturb the coping wall somewhat, though in 
four years^ time it has not affected the wall of my pool. 
It will be simpler to readjust pieces that may be thrown 
out of alignment than to build a foundation below frost 


BIRD BATHS AND A FISH-POOL 


239 


line. Bank up earth around the wall so surface water will 
drain away, not run under the pool. 

After the concrete pool has set for twenty-four hours, 
build 


The Bird Bath 

in its center of field stone or other stone, of the form shown 
in the photograph of Fig. 438 and Fig. 460. Start piling 
the stones in the manner shown in Fig. 459, with an open¬ 
ing in the base for a passageway for fish. Embed the 
stones in cement, and form a shallow basin in the top, as 
shown in Fig. 460. Give the inside of the bird basin a 
thick top dressing of cement to make it watertight. 

Planting 

The circular pool is deep enough for water lilies and 
most water-garden plants. Set out the plants in wooden 
boxes filled with good garden soil. An advantage in using 
boxes is that you can remove them when you drain the 
pool in the fall without disturbing their roots. 

A Drain 

can be built into this pool, but it is not necessary, because 
you can easily and quickly bail out the water after remov¬ 
ing the fish and plant boxes in the fall. If you prefer to 
have a drain, ask your local plumber how to install it. 



It is time to transfer Sport to his spring and summer 
quarters in the back yard, and unless you have already 
provided him with a good kennel, you will do well to build 
one like that shown in the photograph of Fig. 462. This 
is a house that has been in use many years, and it is good 
for many more. 


A Well-Built House 

The Size will be determined by the breed of your dog. 
The house in the photograph was built for a collie. You 
can easily increase the dimensions for a larger dog. 

The Material may be boards from packing-boxes, pro¬ 
vided they are sound and not warped. But if you must 
buy boards, get matched boards, or shiplap, as they will 
make tighter walls. 

Build the House in Sections, and you can assemble it 
more quickly. Fig. 466 shows a cross-section of the com¬ 
pleted kennel. Fig. 467 shows how the ends are built, Fig. 
468 shows the sides. Fig. 469 the floor, and Fig. 470 the 
hinged roof section. 


240 

























Fig. 4t)3 .—Barrel Kennel. 



Fig. 402.—A Well-Built Kennel. Fig. 4(54.—An Emergency Hutch. 



Fig. 405.—Coop or Hutch, and Runway. 






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KENNELS 


241 


To Make an End-Wall Section, batten together enough 
boards to make the width wanted, with temporary end 




Fig. 466. —Cross-Section of Kennel Shown in Fig. 462. 

Fig. 467.—End Wall. 

battens. Then locate the doorway upon the front section, 
fasten battens across the boards above and below the open¬ 
ing (Fig. 467), lay out the pitch of the roof, and batten 
together the boards along these lines. With one end com¬ 
pleted, use it as a pattern for the second end. 

In the same way, make 

The Side Sections by the pattern of Fig. 468. Attach 
the battens with screws, or with nails long enough to drive 
through and clinch. 

Build the Floor as shown in Fig. 469, using three strips 
of 2-by-2 for sills. As the wall sections are to be nailed 
to the edges of the floor boards (Fig. 466), let their dimen¬ 
sions determine the size of the floor section. 

The Roof. Cut the boards for one half of the roof, long 





















































242 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


enough to project 2 inches over each end, and nail them 
to the house ends. Then fasten a narrow board along the 



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Fig. 468.—Side Wall. 

Fig. 469.—Floor. 

Fig. 470.—Hinged Section of Roof. 
Fig. 471.—^Ventilator Prop. 


peak for a hinge strip, batten together the boards of the 
second half of the roof, as shown in Fig. 470, and hinge 
this section to the hinge strip. 

Ventilation of the house is obtained by raising the roof, 
and this is the way to sun the house and to gain access 
to it for cleaning. Prepare a notched stick like that in 
Fig. 471, for a prop, and hinge it to the roof to catch on 
the wall when the roof is raised. 

You may also bore four vent-holes in each gable end, 
as in the photograph of Fig. 462. 

Cover the Roof with roofing felt or shingles, to make it 
tight. 



















































KENNELS 


243 


Paint the Kennel inside and out. One coat inside is 
sufficient, but give the outside two coats. 

A Barrel Kennel 

If you want a neat-appearing kennel that you can build 
quickly, try the barrel kennel shown in the photograph of 
Fig. 463. The fence enclosing the kennel yard looks as 
though it might have been borrowed from somebody’s 
portable baseball backstop. Nevertheless, it is a first-rate 
scheme, joined at the corners with hinge hasps, because 
it can be moved from one spot to another. 

A Wooden Oil Barrel is the right kind for a kennel. 
Scrape it clean, inside and out. 



Fig. 472.—Cross-Section of Barrel Kennel Shown in Fig. 463. 
Fig. 473.—Detail of Cradle. 






































244 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Fig. 472 shows a cross-section of the barrel kennel, and of 

The Crib. The crib holds the barrel off the ground, to 
prevent rolling and to forestall pup nightmares. A detail 
is shown in Fig. 473. The 2-by-4 sills A are cut long 
enough to catch the ends of board plates B. 

There is little work to 

Preparing the Barrel. The doorway may be circular or 
square, framed with pieces cut from the barrel head. 
Fasten a canopy over the opening, using a board (D) sup¬ 
ported upon a pair of brackets (E), with a strip across 
the top (F) to make a tight joint. Bore several holes 
through the barrel bottom for vents, and the kennel will 
be ready for 

Painting. Give the outside two coats of paint. You 
might use white paint, with green for trimmings. 

A Concrete Bowl for Drinking Water 
will not upset, it will keep water cool and it will last in¬ 
definitely. The bowl in Fig. 474 is easy to cast. 

The Form for casting it requires a kettle for the inside, 
and a cheese-box for the outside (Fig. 475). Get a kettle 
about 10 inches in diameter. A worn-out utensil will do. 
Get the cheese-box from the grocery. It will measure 
about 13 inches high and 15 inches in diameter. Remove 
the box bottom, and cut down the sides to a depth of 7 
inches, or so they will be about 2 inches deeper than the 
kettle (Fig. 476). 

Spread newspaper or wrapping-paper upon a cement 
floor or walk; then place the cheese-box upon it, and the 


KENNELS 


245 


kettle, inverted, in the center of the box. The form will 
then be ready for the cast. 



Fig. 474.—Concrete Bowl for Drinking Water. 
Fig. 475.—Cheese-Box and Kettle Form. 

Fig. 476.—Cross-Section of Cast Bowl. 


Mix the Concrete in the proportions of 1 part cement, 2 
parts sand, and 3 parts fine crushed stone or gravel. Mix 
the material dry, then add enough water to make a jelly- 
like mixture. 

Pour the Concrete into the form, and tamp it down 
around the kettle and box with a stick. To cast smooth 
surfaces, it is necessary to force the grout or thin part of 
the mixture into all interstices. You can get these results 
by working a trowel or knife around the inside of the 
cheese-box form, and allowing the grout to flow down. 

Remove the Form after the concrete has had twenty- 
four hours to set. The edge of the kettle may have become 
wedged, but you can cut it away without difl&culty. 

























If one of your hobbies is keeping pets, why not establish 
a zoo in your yard? You have visited a park zoo. You 
know how the houses, cages, pens, runs and pools are ar¬ 
ranged, and you probably have an idea of how to place 
yours along the fence of your yard, or around the hen 
coop. You will want to placard the cages, of course, as 
they do at the park zoo. For instance, you will name your 
dog cards familiaris, your rabbits, lepi cuniculi, your white 
mice, muscili albi, your pigeons, columhidce, your gold¬ 
fish, carasii aurati, and so on. Look up the Latin names 
in an encyclopedia. 

You may not own many pets, but here is 

A Good Way to Acquire a Zoo 
or to augment your zoo, during the summer months, when 
you have the most time to give it attention. In your 
neighborhood there are dogs, cats, parrots and other birds, 
goldfish, possibly a monkey or a pony, that never get 
away on vacations, and whose masters and mistresses are 
sometimes kept from vacations because of them. Perhaps 

246 



















A BACK-YARD ZOO 


247 


you do not know it, and perhaps your neighbors do not, 
but there are kennels and catteries and bird stores, where, 
at considerable expense, you can board pets by the day or 
by the week. The care given them is no more than you 
could give, and if you have the confidence of your neigh¬ 
bors, it is more than likely that you would have no dif¬ 
ficulty in taking on a few boarders. This would be great 
fun and affords another interesting way of earning vaca¬ 
tion money. 

Leaving these thoughts for you to develop, let us look 
into plans for home-made shelters. 

In the preceding chapter are two kinds of kennels, each 
of which might be adapted to other pets than dogs. Ill 
this chapter are several plans for hutches, pens and yards, 
and in the following chapter is a small poultry house and 
runway that might also be used for pigeons and other 
pets. For additional suggestions, go to your public library 
and look up my books Handicraft for Handy Boys ” and 

Outdoor Boy Craftsmen.’’ 

An Emergency Hutch 

The photograph of Fig. 464 shows an easily built single 
compartment hutch that will serve several purposes, 
among which I may mention a carrying box, hospital ward, 
exhibition cage and temporary quarters. Note that 

It is Made of a Box with the cover removed, and that 
two-thirds of the opening is covered with small-mesh 
poultry netting, the other third with a hinged frame also 
covered with netting. 


248 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Hinges and a hook for the door, and a handle for the top, 
are required. A drawer pull or a parcel handle fastened 
to a pair of screw-eyes, will do for a handle. For 
An Exhibition Cage it will be better to put the doorway 
in the end or the back of the box, and cover the entire 
front with netting, because by this arrangement there will 
be a less obstructed view of the exhibit. 


A Rabbit Hutch 
The hutch shown in Fig. 477 has 
Three Compartments in a Box (Fig. 478). The box 



Fig. 477 


•Babbit Hutch. 























































































































A BACK-YARD ZOO 


249 


stands on end. The space between floors should be not 
less than 9 inches. The box should be about 30 inches 
long. If your box is shorter, make two compartments 
instead of three. 



Runways. 

Cut Floor Boards to fit in the box, and support them 
upon cleats nailed to the sides of the box (Fig. 478). 

Cut Two Doorways, 3-by-7 inches in size, in the side of 
the box, to connect the lower two compartments with the 
runways. 

The Rabbit Runways may be built of box boards or 
other boards. The runway floor boards should extend 
under and be nailed to the bottom of the compartment 
box, as shown. Place the second floor, and the roof of 
the runways on a level with the compartment floors. Sup¬ 
port the board ends upon cleats. 

The Stairway opening in the second floor should be cut 

















































































































































































250 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


before the boards are fastened in place. Make the stair¬ 
way of a board with cleats nailed across it. 

Make the Doors to the compartments of boards. Nail 
wooden strips to the edges of the box to hinge the doors 
to, and to attach iron button fasteners to. Use spools for 
door knobs. 

Cover the Sides of the Runways with poultry netting 
or wire cloth. There must be a doorway at one end, 
through which to gain access to the runways. If you use 
poultry netting, make a door frame of narrow strips and 
cover it with the netting. If you use wire cloth, a strip 
of it will be stiff enough without a frame, for a door, and 
it can be hinged with loops of wire. Such a door is shown 
in Fig. 477. 

A Pair of Trestles similar to those shown in Fig. 477 
make the best support for the hutch. The legs and braces 
may be made of 2-by-2s, the connecting pieces of 4 inch 
boards. 

Paint the inside and outside of the hutch. 

A Convertible Coop or Hutch 
is shown in the photograph of Fig. 465. It may be adapted 
to chicks, rabbits or guinea pigs. The first part of 

The Construction will be the same for coop or hutch. 
Procure a box 18 inches square, or larger, for the base 
(Fig. 479). This will save work because the corner posts 
A and B can be fitted in the box corners, as shown, and 
the box sides can be extended to the height of the posts. 
The size of the box used will determine the dimensions 


A BACK-YARD ZOO 


251 


of the various parts of the coop, but I suggest that you 
make posts A and B of l-by-2s, posts A 15 inches long 

and posts B 20 inches long. Cut plates C to fit across the 
post tops. 



Fig. 479. —Framework of Coop Shown in Photograph 

of Fig. 465. 


Build Up the Sides as shown. Cut the top board on 
each side 2 inches longer than the boards below it, so that 
it will project beyond the rear wall, as shown in Fig. 480. 
Build up the rear wall to the height of the under edge of 
the projecting side boards. Then fasten a board between 
the projecting ends of the side boards. This will form 
A Ventilator, as you will see by Fig. 480. The board 
outside of the opening will keep out rain. A piece of 



























252 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


screen wire or wire netting fastened across the vent open¬ 
ing will keep out rodents, and a narrow strip hinged as 
shown in Fig. 482 will form a shutter. 



Fig. 480.— Cross-Section of Chick Coop. 

Fig. 481.— Front of Chick Coop. 

Cut the Roof Boards long enough to project 1% inches 
' over the sides of the coop, and lay them so there will be 
a 1% inch projection over the front and rear walls. Tack 
roofing felt to the roof boards. 

From this point on the construction will be different. 
For 



A Chicken Coop 

enclose the front as shown in Fig. 481. Fasten a board 4 
inches wide against the roof boards, and then cut a pair of 
narrow strips to fit between this board and the floor, to 
finish off the sides of the opening (Fig. 481). Details of 
The Hinged Front are shown in Figs. 480 to 484. Cut 
the boards for it about % inch shorter than the width of 
the opening. Batten them together with the strips D and 
E (Fig. 483), with strips D 1 inch from the board ends, 


















































A BACK-YARD ZOO 


253 


and strips E 3% inches each side of the center. The pur¬ 
pose of strips E (Fig. 483) is to hold together the boards 
that are to be sawed through in cutting the small door- 



Figs. 482-484.—Details of Hinged Front for Chick Coop. 
Fig. 485.—Hinged Screen Door for Rabbit Hutch. 


way; also, to form the sides of the pocket in which the 
small door (G, Fig. 484) is to slide. Nail strips F (Fig. 
483) to strips E to form backs to the pocket. Project them 
Y 2 inch over the inner edges of strips E. 

Cut the Small Doorway about 8 inches high. Cut door 
G (Fig. 484) to fit loosely in the pocket. Drive a staple 
into the front of the door near the lower edge (H, Fig. 




























































































































254 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


482), cut a notch in the head of the doorway for this 
staple to slide into, and drive a small nail (I) each side 
of the notch. Slip the stick J through the staple, with its 
ends resting upon nails I, to support the door when it has 
been raised (Fig. 481). 

Movable bars (K, Fig. 483) slipped between the heads 
of large tacks driven into strips F, will keep mother hen 
and chicks inside of the coop when the small door is 
raised. When the lower bars are removed as shown in 
Fig. 483, the chicks can enter or leave the coop at will, 
but the hen is confined. Use %-inch dowel sticks or sticks 
whittled to this diameter, for bars, and space the tacks so 
that the bars will be about 1 inch apart. 

Hinge the Front to the board below the roof. Screw 
an iron button at each side near the bottom, for locks, and 
provide a wire hook like that shown in Fig. 481, for a 
prop when the front is opened, as in the photograph of 
Fig. 465. 



Fig. 486. — Cross-Section of Rabbit Hutch. 
Fig, 487. — Front pf Rabbit Hutch, 












































A BACK-YARD ZOO 


255 


A Rabbit or Guinea Pig Hutch 
requires a second floor (Fig. 486) and two screen doors 
(Fig. 487). 

Fasten the Floor boards half-way between the bottom 
and top. Cut 

A Stairway opening and build stairs of a board 4 inches 
wide with cleats nailed across it. 

Make the Screen Doors as shown in Fig. 485, with 
l-by-2 strips covered with heavy wire cloth having about 
%-inch mesh. Hinge them as shown in Fig. 487, and pro¬ 
vide iron buttons for locking them. 



Fig. 488.—Completed Framework of Runway Shown in Fig. 465. 
Fig. 489.—Top Frame. 

Fig. 490.—Side Frame. 

Fig. 491.—Hinged End Frame. 

Fig. 492.—Top Opening Frame. 




















































































256 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


An Enclosed Runway 

The photograph of Fig. 465 shows a run for your coop 
or hutch, 6 feet long and 18 inches wide. It has a frame¬ 
work of l-by-2 strips covered with poultry netting having 
a l-inch mesh. Fig. 488 shows the completed frame¬ 
work, and Fig. 489 shows the frame for the top opening. 
First, make a pair of frames like that shown in Fig. 490, 
for the sides, then join them with the cross plates C. 
Build the end door frame as shown in Fig. 491, and hinge 
it at its top. Build the top opening frame as shown in 
the detail of Fig. 492. Give the assembled framework two 
coats of paint. 

Cover the top, sides and front door frame with poultry 
netting, and the job is done. 



It is not necessary to have a large piece of ground for 
a small poultry plant. Indeed, some poultrymen advocate 
the confinement of the flock to a scratch shed instead of a 
yard, covered to afford protection from inclement weather, 
and open to the air. Quite contrary, this, to the old time 
notion of farmers that hens must have the range of stock. 
The modern practice makes possible more scientific feed¬ 
ing, since nothing is given but balanced rations—grain 
scattered in the litter, and mash and green food, shell and 
charcoal in hoppers. Then, too, a check on egg production 
is possible with confined hens, by the use of trap nests, 
and of course this is essential to profitable poultry keep¬ 
ing, that the layers may be known and non layers culled 
from the flock. 

A Combination Poultry House and Scratch Shed 
like that shown in Fig. 493 is especially well adapted to 
the city or suburban lot, for a small flock of hens. With 
the double-decking arrangement, the scratch shed requires 
little or no additional space. Then too, the high and con- 

257 




















258 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


sequently dry floor with a hatchway door that can be 
closed at night makes the coop as nearly rat-proof as can 





Fig. 493.—Completed Poultry House and Scratch Shed. 


be. A house of this design will suit the conditions of 
almost any back yard. It may be screened by a grape 
arbor, or hidden behind the garage, or, as is often done, 
combined with the latter structure. 

The cross-section diagram of Fig. 494 shows the arrange¬ 
ment of the scratch shed and house, shows how the front 
of the shed opens to permit changing the straw litter, how 
the shed and house are connected by a runway, how the 
house is lighted by glass, and ventilated by a screened 
opening, and how the roosts, droppings-board, and nest- 
boxes are placed in tiers along the rear wall. 






























































A POULTRY HOUSE 


259 


The Building Material 

The Kind of Lumber to use will depend on what is 
available in your locality. Ask your local carpenter or 



Fig. 494. —Cross-Section of Poultry House and Scratch 

Shed. 


lumber dealer. Second-hand lumber for the framework 
will make as substantial a structure as new stuff will, and 
will save considerable money. New lumber is preferable 
for the outside, unless you stucco the house. 

Quantities and Dimensions will be determined by the 









































260 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


size of structure you want. If you follow the plan here 
described, you can easily determine quantities needed. 
Use 2-by-4s for the framework studding, floor joists and 
rafters, 6-inch, 8-inch or 10-inch siding for sheathing the 
framework, l-by-6-inch boards for floor and roof, and 
l-by-4-inch boards for trim. 

The Scratch Shed or Basement Framework 
is the first portion to build. 

The Framework is shown in Fig. 495. It requires two 



Fig. 495.—Completed Scratch-Shed Framework. 




































































































A POULTRY HOUSE 


261 


frames similar to that in Fig. 497, with top and bottom 
plates A 14 feet long, and studs B 2 feet 8 inches long, 
spiked between with a spacing of 24 inches. Diagonals C 
are set between the end studs for bracing. 

When the pair of frames have been built, place them 8 
feet apart (outside to outside measurement), and join 
their ends with pieces of siding, as shown in Fig. 495. 

Cut the Floor Joists D and spike them to top plates A 
of the framework, 24 inches on centers. Then 
Lay the Floor Boards and all will be ready for 

The Poultry-House Framework 
A detail of this is shown in Fig. 496. It is built in sec- 



Eig. 497.—Make Two Frames Like This for Scratch Shed. 


tions in the manner of the scratch-shed framework. Fig. 

498 shows 

The Rear Frame with the lengths of top and bottom 
plates E, and the lengths and spacing of studs F. Fig. 

499 shows 

The Front Frame with the lengths of the top and bot¬ 
tom plates E, and lengths and spacing of studs G and J, 
and plates H and I. 

The floor of the house will be a good surface on which 
to build the wall frames. Assembling the frames will be 





























262 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS' HOBBIES 


simple work, but be careful to cut like pieces of equal 
length, and to spike them together with square corners. 




To Erect the House Framework, stand the frames in 
position on the floor, and spike the lower plates to the 
floor. Support the tops temporarily with diagonals nailed 
across the ends. 

The Roof Rafters (K, Fig. 496) must be notched slightly 
to fit on top plates E. Cut them of the right length to 
project 4 inches over the plates, and make their ends 
parallel to the sides of the framework. Space the rafters 
























































A POULTRY HOUSE 


263 


the same as the wall studding, and spike them to top 
plates E. 

Build the Side-Wall Frames between the front and 
rear frames. Fit floor plates L between plates E, and cut 
studs M and N to fit between the plates and rafters, and 
spike in place. Complete 

The Doorway framing by fitting head plate O between 
corner stud G and side stud N. 

When the framework has been completed. 

Sheathe the Walls with siding, then cut the window 
openings. 

The Roof boards should project 4 inches over the walls. 
When you have cut and laid these, cover them with one 
of the slated roofing materials sold in rolls at the hardware 
store. You can buy it by the yard of the right width so 
two strips with edges overlapped will cover the surface. 
Roofing nails and cement for joints come with the material. 

Trimming. Trim the edges of the roof with l-by-4 verge 
boards, nailing these to the roof boards and rafter ends, 
as shown in Figs. 493 and 494. Trim the outside walls 
with l-by-4 boards, running them around the openings and 
up the corners, as shown in Fig. 493. 

Fasten a board cap across the head of the front wall 
ventilator, pitched as shown, and supported on triangular 
brackets nailed to the side trim pieces. 

Glaze the Windows with glass % inch narrower and 
shorter than the opening measurements. You may prefer 
to divide the openings with a horizontal bar, to make 
smaller lights of glass. The cost of replacing an occasional 


264 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


broken light will be less. Fasten the lights in the open¬ 
ings with narrow wooden strips nailed around the inside of 
the studding and plates, inside and outside of the glass. 

The Ventilator opening will be enclosed with poultry 
netting. Provide a screen built up of l-by-2 inch strips 
and covered with muslin, to slip into the opening inside 
of the wire screen, for zero weather protection. 

Cross Ventilation will be obtained by means of rear 
vents shown in Fig. 494. These will admit air between 
the roof rafters, as indicated by arrows. Cut pieces of 
board to fit between the rafters, and hinge them as shown, 
for winter shutters. 

Make a Batten Door of several tongued-and-grooved 
boards fastened with battens screwed across them near the 
top and bottom, and hinge it with a pair of T-hinges to 
the door casing. A small light of glass is shown set in the 
door (Fig. 493). This makes a handy peek-hole. Provide 
for it when building the door by sawing a piece from the 
center board. Set glass in the opening, or lap it over the 
inside, and hold it in place with stop strips. Provide a 
door-lock and handles. 

Enclose the Scratch Shed on the front and rear with 
poultry netting. The front should have a clean-out door, 
built up of l-by-2 inch strips braced at the corners, and 
covered with netting. Hinge it at its top, as shown in 
Figs. 493 and 494, and provide hooks to fasten it shut, 
and another set to fasten it open. 

An Entrance Platform at the top of the steps will be 
handy. That is why the scratch shed was built longer than 


A POULTRY HOUSE 


265 


the house. Let the floor boards extend far enough over 
the side of the platform to support feed containers. 

Build the Steps as shown in Fig. 493, with 8-inch 
boards for stringers and 8-inch board treads set in between 
them on cleats. 

The Runway from scratch shed to house is shown in 
Fig. 494. Fig. 496 shows where to place it. After cutting 
the hatchway, build the runway of a board with cleats 
nailed across it. Then batten together several boards to 
form a hatch for protection at night. 

Fig. 494 and Figs. 500 to 503 show a good arrangement of 

Poultry Fixtures 

The Roosts, a pair of 2-by-4s, with tops rounded with 



Fig. 500.—Arrangement of Poultry Fixtures. 
Fig. 501.—Detail of Roosts. 

Fig. 502.—Droppings-Board. 

Fig. 503.—Nest-Box. 







































266 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


draw-knife or plane (Fig. 501) are supported between the 
ends of the house parallel with the rear wall, and 4 feet 
6 inches above the floor, on 2-by-4s blocked up to form 
pockets (Fig. 500). Eight inches below them place 

The Droppings-Board. Build this as shown in Fig. 502, 
and beneath it on a shelf place 

The Nest-Boxes. Orange boxes, with the upper two 
boards of the sides removed (Fig. 503), make excellent 
nest-boxes. 

The Drop Leaf shown in Fig. 494 is a good arrangement 
for darkening the nest-boxes. Hinge it as shown, so that it 
may be opened for the gathering of the eggs. 

Containers for Scratch-Feed and Mash. A pair of gar¬ 
bage cans will serve excellently for these. 

Painting 

When your carpentry is done, give the outside of the 
poultry house a priming coat of good outdoor paint. When 
this has dried, putty all nail-holes, and apply a second 
coat. You may paint the trim the same color as the body 
of the house, or a contrasting color. Paint the inside of 
the house, and all fixtures, with one of the disinfectant 
whitewashes prepared for the purpose. 


f 



PART m 

Summer Hobbies 












































•S 

» • 




Fig. 504:.— Speeding with an Outkoard Motor, a Surf Board 

IN Tow. 



Fig. 505. —The Flat-Bottomed Sharpie Is Well Adapted to 

THE Outboard Motor. 



Fig. 506.—A Canvas Canoe and Its Builder, 
Robert MuKechnie, Jr. 















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Portability, small cost and simplicity of operation have 
combined to build up the extensive use of the outboard 
motor. It fits compactly in a case, it can be carried with 
the ease of a suitcase. You can put* it in the car, drive out 
to a lake, adjust it to a rented boat or your own and be off 
to the fishing grounds in one, two, three. And you can have 
great fun with it at the bathing beach, speeding over the 
water with a surf boat in tow, as the lad in the photograph 
of Fig. 504 is doing. 

Usually you can find a boat available at a lake, but some¬ 
times you are out of luck, and if there is one lake or stream 
which you frequent, I advise you to own your boat. You 
can padlock it after you are done with it, as the native locks 
his. 

The Flat-Bottomed Sharpie 
is a popular type of outboard motor boat that you can build 
yourself because the construction is simple. It is not a fast 
boat, but it is dependable, and you will find more of its 
kind among home-made boats than any other. 

The photograph of Fig. 505 shows the sharpie that I used 

269 



































































270 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


last summer, and the accompanying diagrams show the 
measurements and details for building her. 

The Materials 

for boat building are available in almost every locality. 
Pine is probably more generally employed than any other 
wood, but cypress and cedar are well suited to it because 
of their rot-resisting qualities, and spruce and fir are good. 
Lacking a choice, select any easily worked wood that is 
seasoned, and free from knots and other defects. 

In the plan (Fig. 507), the stem piece details (A, Figs. 
511 and 512), the center mold detail (B, Fig. 513) and the 



Fig. 607. —Plan of Sharpie Flat-Bottomed Boat. 
Fig. 508.—Plan of Keel. 

Fig. 509.— Side-Plate Oar Lock. 


stern piece detail (C, Fig. 514), you will find all of the 
measurements for figuring out 




















































































A SHARPIE OUTBOARD MOTOR BOAT 271 

The Material Bill. The sides of the boat are 16 inches 
wide. You may get boards of this width in your locality, 
but 12-inch boards (liy 2 inches actually) are usually as 
wide as are carried in stock at lumber yards, and if you 
cannot get wider you must use two pieces for each side. A 
12-inch board and a 6-inch board (D and E, Fig. 510) will 
do nicely. The length should be 16 feet. A piece of 4-by-8 



is required for the stem piece, 10-inch or 12-inch boards are 
needed for the center mold and stem piece, l-by-6-inch, or 
l-by-8-inch boards for the bottom and the keel, 12-inch 
boards for seats, l-by-2s for side battens, and l-by-3-inch 
strips for trimming the gunwales. Buy galvanized or ce¬ 
ment-coated nails for nailing, and brass screws for parts to 
be screwed. 


The Construction 

Stem Piece A is the first part to shape. Figs. 511 and 
512 show its dimensions. Lay it out carefully, and rip it 
with a rip-saw. You will have no difiiculty in shaping this 
rabbeted block, but, if you prefer, you can have it cut at a 







272 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


local mill. You might prepare this piece at home where you 
probably have a bench with a vise. Indeed, you might 

make the mold and stem piece 
there, also. They are small enough 
to carry in the car from home to 
the lake. 

The purpose of the beveled rab¬ 
bets in the stem piece is to pro¬ 
vide recesses to let in the side 
boards flush with the surface of the 
nose of the piece. Make the depth 
of the exact thickness of the 
boards. Trim carefully until you 
obtain a good fit. Notice that the 
stem piece ends are trimmed off to 
allow for a rake or pitch, of 3 
inches (Fig. 511); also, that the rabbeted portion is cut 
away at its top to a depth of 1 inch. 

Center Mold B, shown in Fig. 515, is a temporary 
form, set half-way between the stem and stern to bend the 
side boards around. Prepare it by the pattern of Fig. 513. 



Fig. 511.—Stem Piece. 
Fig. 512.—Plan of Stem 
Piece. 


H*- 42 >-^- - 























A SHARPIE OUTBOARD MOTOR BOAT 


273 




-iCvJ 

CD 


Stern Piece C is of double thickness, to make a solid 
support for the motor. Use two boards for each thickness, 
one wider than the 
other, and place the 
boards so that the 
joint between one pair 
will be overlapped by 
a board of the other 
pair, as indicated by 
dotted line in Fig. 514. 

Cut off the upper cor¬ 
ners as shown. 

The Assembly of 
the stem piece, center 
mold, stern piece, and lower side boards is shown in Fig. 
515. Trim off the bow ends of 

The Side Boards to fit in the stem piece rabbets. 
Daub the rabbets with thick lead paint, and nail securely. 
Locate the half-way point on each side, set the center mold 
in position, and nail the boards to its edges. Leave the nail 
heads exposed for withdrawal later. 


4- 

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1 ^ 

* c 

** ! 

• I 

«1 

1 “ 

O 

o 

0 / 

1 ^ 

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1 

1 

_ 

op" 






Fig. 514.—Stern Piece. 



Fig. 515. —^Assembly of Stem Piece, Center Mold, Stern Piece, and 

Lower Board of Sides. 


When you bend the boards around the mold, and twist 

































274 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


them to draw them in to meet the stern piece ends, it will 
be well to have assistance. A pair of cabinet maker’s 
clamps will help, but a doubled piece of wire looped over 
nails driven into the board ends can be twisted with a nail 
or bolt until the boards are drawn to the right point. The 
stem piece has a rake of 3 inches. Stand it so that it pitches 
this amount, nail the boards to its edges, and then trim off 
their ends flush with the piece. 

The next step is to nail on 

The Bottom Boards. These should have square, not 
tongued-and-grooved edges. Select pieces that are straight, 
6 inches or 8 inches wide. The narrower boards will require 
more pieces, but there will be less shrinkage per board, and 
the joints should be tighter. The bottom boards will vary 
in length. Before nailing, coat the edges of the side boards, 
also the edges of the bottom boards, with lead paint. Start 
nailing at the stem and work forward. Drive each board 
tight against the one preceding it, and slant the nails to 
help close the joints. When you have nailed the bottom 
boards, trim off their edges flush with the boat sides, and 
finish smooth with wood-rasp and sandpaper. 

Complete the bottom with 

The Keel. Make this of a l-by-6-inch board. Screw it 
to the bottom boards along the exact center (Figs. 508 and 
510). 

Next, right the boat, and attach 

The Upper Side Boards (E, Fig. 510). These must con¬ 
form to the curves of the lower boards. Bind them together 
with l-by-2 battens (F, Figs. 507 and 510). Screw thirteen 


A SHARPIE OUTBOARD MOTOR BOAT 


275 


battens to each side of the boat, with equal spacing. Trim 
the lower ends to fit against the boat bottom (Fig. 510). 
Trim off the tops even with the edge of upper boards E. 

The Seats are next in order. Cut them to fit between the 
boat sides, and rest them on cleats nailed to the side bat¬ 
tens. The seat spacing is shown in Fig. 507. When you 
have fastened the seats in place, remove the temporary 
center mold. 

A Deck Piece cut to fit between the sides back of the 
stem piece will complete the bow. 

Trim the Gunwales with l-by-3-inch strips (G, Figs. 507 
and 510). Run them from stem to stern, and screw them 
to battens F. 


Oar Lockets 

The best type of oar lockets for the sharpie are of the 
side-plate pattern shown in Fig. 509. Any dealer in oars 
and other water craft supplies will have them. Fasten the 
plates to the outside of the boat, with their attachment 
bolts run through the gunwales (Fig. 510). 

Paint the Boat 

inside and outside before launching her. To make a first- 
class paint job, sandpaper surfaces where necessary. Also, 
calk all cracks with lead paint. Three coats of good paint 
are none too many for the outside. You might make the 
inside of a lighter color than the outside, and the gunwale 
strips of a contrasting color. 

Letter a Name upon the bow. Sketch the letters upon 


276 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


paper, true them up, then transfer them to the bow with 
carbon paper, and fill in between the outlines with paint. 
Or, buy aluminum letters at the hardware store, or through 
one of'the mail order houses, and nail them to the bow. 

Overhauling the Boat 

With the best of care, a boat’s seams will open and re¬ 
quire calking. Thick lead paint is sufficient for narrow 
seams. Oakum is best for wide seams. A good way to 
make a tight boat for all time is 

To Waterproof It. The approved process is to coat out¬ 
side surfaces with tnarine glue, then apply a good grade of 
unbleached cotton cloth. Marine glue can be obtained from 
any ship chandler or dealer in water craft, and complete 
directions for waterproofing accompany the glue. 



T 



CHAPTER XXIX 
A CANVAS CANOE 







In the frontispiece to Part III you will see a photograph 
(Fig. 506) of the dandy light-weight canoe described in 
this chapter. The canoe was designed by Robert Mc- 
Kechnie, Jr., who is shown in the photograph paddling it. 
It is an inexpensive little craft to build, and the work is 
simple. You would find it of handy size to transport on a 
car, or to carry on your Boy Scout trek cart when you are 
bound for camp or a week-end hike. 

In the diagrams, the completed job is shown in Fig. 516, 



Fig. 516. —Completed Canvas Canoe, Shown in Photograph of 

Fig. 506. 


the assembled framework without covering in Fig. 517, and 
a plan of the framework in Fig. 518. 

The Framework 

The End Pieces were made of No. 20 galvanized iron, 

277 

































































278 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


bent into a cone, to measure 6 inches long, 6 inches in 
diameter across the wide opening, and 1% inches across the 
small end, then riveted (Fig. 519). It was not much of a 
trick to make them, but you can get the work done at a 
tinshop at small cost. The conical pieces support the ends 
of the ribbands and gunwales (Fig. 517). Each had eight 



Fig. 617.—Completed Framework. 

Fig. 518.—Plan of Framework. 

Fig. 519.—Stem and Stern Cone. 

Figs. 520 and 521.—Details of Ribband and Gunwale Strips. 


%6-inch holes drilled through it, with equal spacing, for 
bolts for attaching the strips. 

The Ribbands and Gunwales were made of ash strips 
% inch square (Fig. 520). If you cannot get ash in your 
vicinity, use spruce or pine. The outer edges of the strips 
were rounded off as shown in Fig. 521. 

The Molds that support the ribbands and gunwales, be¬ 
tween ends, are shown in detail in Figs. 522 and 523. These 
shape the sides of the canoe. Robert cut his molds out of 































































A CANVAS CANOE 


279 


boards 15 inches wide, but stock wider than 12 inches may 
not be easy to obtain in your vicinity, in which case build 
your molds of two pieces each, fastened with battens, as 
shown in Figs. 522 and 523. The larger or center pair of 
molds were skeletonized, as shown, to provide leg room fore 



Figs. 522 and 523.—Details of Molds A and B. 
Fig. 524.—Half-Patterns of Molds. 


and aft of the cockpit. The smaller forms were cut away to 
save weight. 

Half-patterns for the mold outlines are shown in Fig. 
524, ruled off into 1-inch squares. To enlarge the patterns, 
lay off a similar set of 1-inch squares upon heavy paper or 
cardboard, then reproduce the outlines upon them as shown 
upon the diagram squares, and cut out the pieces. 

Batten together the mold boards with galvanized or ce¬ 
ment-coated nails, then place the patterns upon the molds, 
mark out the outlines, and saw out the pieces. Lay off the 














































































280 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


ribband spacing around the edges of the molds, and cut 
notches at these points to drive the ribbands into. 

Assembling the parts was easy. The ends of the ribbands 
were tapered to fit in the end cones, then bolted to the 
cones with %6-inch round-headed bolts, with heads out. 
Connection with the tnolds was made with brass screws 1% 
inches long. 


The Covering 

With the framework completed, Robert covered it with 
8-ounce cotton duck. First, he spread a piece 60 inches 
wide and 14 feet long over the bottom from end to end, and 
side to side, stretched it tightly and fastened it to the gun¬ 
wales with copper tacks. Then he cut two pieces 30 inches 
wide by 5 feet long, spread them over the decks from the 
cockpit to the ends, and tacked them in place. 

Take plenty of time to this work, since the more smoothly 
the covering is put on, the neater the job will be, and the 
less skin resistance there will be. 

Painting 

came next. Two coats of good quality of house paint were 
used. These filled the pores of the cloth, and made a water¬ 
tight job. You might find a third coat necessary. Much 
will depend upon the quality of paint used. Certainly at 
the end of the season another coat will be needed. 

The Cockpit 

required a floor. Robert made his by attaching two boards 


A CANVAS CANOE 


281 


% inch thick, 8 inches wide and 5 feet long across the lower 
part of the center molds. Then he varnished them. 

A Double Paddle 

was shaped from a piece of white pine 8 feet long. Possi¬ 
bly you will prefer to buy yours. It will cost little. 

A Life-Preserver Vest 

should not be overlooked, for the best of canoes will some¬ 
times upset. You know how to swim, no doubt, but do not 
despise a safety rig that is part of the equipment of every 
speedboat pilot. 



Whether your camping consists of overnight hikes, 
motor camping or sleeping in the back yard, the following 
suggestions will be helpful in organizing equipment. 

An overnight hike usually necessitates going light ” 
with pack upon one’s back, including a pup tent or shelter 
tent. Tent poles and stakes are procured on the camp site. 
With a trek cart, however, additional equipment is possible. 
Perhaps a tent large enough to accommodate all of the fel¬ 
lows is available. The tent will pack in a trek cart, but 
what of its poles? Poles are always a nuisance unless 
jointed so they may be made into a compact bundle. 

A Tent-Pole Pack 

like that shown in Pig. 525 is handy not only for transpor¬ 
tation by trek cart, but also by automobile. 

Jointing the Poles is a simple job. Two pairs of 4-inch 
strap hinges for the ridge-pole and a pair for each upright 
pole are needed; also, sixteen stove bolts with which to 
fasten the hinges to the poles. The bolt length will depend 
upon the thickness of the poles. Fig. 526 shows how to saw 
the ridge-pole into three lengths, and Fig. 527 shows how to 

saw each upright into two lengths. Make the cuts on the 

282 














































WOODS AND WATER IDEAS 


283 


diagonal. Attach the hinges with bolts. Bore bolt holes 
that will make a snug fit. 



Fig. 525.—Tent-Pole Pack. 

Figs. 526 and 527.—Joint Ridge-Pole and Uprights Like This. 


To Pack the Poles, remove two bolt nuts at each connec¬ 
tion (Figs. 526 and 527), fold the released hinge fiaps away 
from the poles, and replace the nuts on the bolts. Use 
skate straps to fasten the pack. 

A Campfire Crane 

like that in Fig. 528 is easy to assemble. It is made of pipe 
and pipe-fittings. An old piece of gas pipe 4 feet long will 
do for the upright. One end must be threaded on which to 
screw a tee pipe-fitting. Two nipples 10 or 12 inches long, 
of the diameter of the pipe, complete the device. To make 
the crane more compact for carrying, cut the upright pipe in 
half and join the halves with a coupler fitting. Then you 
can take it down in three pieces. 







































284 BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 

Make Pothooks of heavy wire bent into the shapes shown 
in Fig. 529. 



Fig. 528.—Campfire Crane. 
Fig. 529.—Pothooks. 


An Orange Crate for Camping 
has possibilities not generally recognized. It offers a light¬ 
weight receptacle for transporting food and utensils. It 
serves well as a kitchen cabinet, magazine rack and book 
rack, small table or washstand, in camp. Fig. 530 suggests 
how to fasten the crate upon a tree trunk at the right 
height for a wash basin, and how to hang a mirror above it. 
Give this utility box two coats of paint or lacquer before 
you leave home. 


An Automobile Cabinet 

like that in Fig. 531 is excellent for motor camping food 










WOODS AND WATER IDEAS 


285 


supplies and cooking utensils. It may be carried upon the 
running-board or rear bumper. Fig. 532 is a cross-section 



Fig. 530.— Orange-Crate - piG . 532.— Cross-Section of Cabinet. 

Wash-Stand. 


of a cabinet. Dimensions are not given, because they will 
vary under different conditions. 

Make the cabinet back of wallboard and save weight. 
























































































286 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Hinge the drop-leaves of the two compartments with 2-inch 
hinges. Fasten chain to them for supports, and attach cup¬ 
board catches. 

When you open the cabinet along the road, the upper 
hinged leaf will form a work table of convenient height, 
the lower leaf will be a handy shelf. 

Cover the Cabinet on the outside with black oilcloth, 
and paint the inside, including the drop-leaves, with sev¬ 
eral coats of white enamel. ' 

A Trek Cart Cabinet 

similar to the automobile cabinet can be built into the end 
of the cart. It will simplify the problem of keeping the 
commissary supplies separate from equipment. 

A Fishing Line Drying Reel 

As a mechanic is judged by his tools, so is a fisherman 
judged by his tackle. If you don’t want your line to break 
at the critical moment, and let a big fellow get away, buy 
a well-known tested brand, and see that it is kept in the 
best possible condition. Never leave it wound upon your 
reel to dry. As soon as you can conveniently do so, transfer 
it to something that will permit air to circulate around 
every inch of its length. 

The best device is a drying reel, and Figs. 533 and 534 
show 

A Home-Made Reel that is easily constructed. The 
base of this reel (A) is clamped to a table or shelf edge, 
the fishing rod handle is slipped into a hole bored in the 


WOODS AND WATER IDEAS 


287 


end of the base block, which brings the reel into line with 
the drying reel. In this position the fishing line can be 
reeled off on to the drying reel, then reeled back when dry. 



Fig. 533.—Transfer Fishing Line from Rod Reel to Home- 

Made Drying Reel. 


After use, the drying reel can be removed and made into 
a compact package, with arms C unbolted and knocked 
down, and upright B folded to lie along base block A. 

The Base. Cut the base block A from a piece of 2-by-2, 
and upright B from a piece of l-by-2, of the lengths marked 
in Fig. 533. 

Bore the socket hole in block A just large enough for the 
rod handle to fit snugly in. Cut down the other end of the 













































288 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


block so that the jaw of a curtain-stretcher clamp will be 
large enough to grip it and the table or shelf the reel may 



Fig. 534.—Completed Line Drying Reel. 
Figs. 535-537.—Details of Reel. 


be clamped to (Figs. 533 and 534). Bore a %-inch hole 
near the top of upright B for the reel axle to slip through 
(Fig. 535), a %-inch hole below it where indicated, for a 
screw to attach the block to the base block. 

The Reel is Inade of two blocks halved at their centers 
as shown in Fig.’536, so that one block will interlock the 
other. A diagram of the blocks is shown in Fig. 537. Bore 
a %6-inch hole through the center of each for the axle to run 
through. 






















































































WOODS AND WATER IDEAS 


289 


The Axle is a %-inch carriage bolt 4 inches long. 

Mount the reel upon the axle as shown in Figs. 534 to 
536, and make 

A Crank of a thread spool. Attach the spool with a 
screw. 

Finish the reel and base with a coat of shellac or varnish 
stain. 


A Canoe or Sharpie Headlight 
like that in the sketch of Fig. 538 is a simple rig. All that 
it requires is an automobile spotlight, battery, switch, board 



Fig. 538.—Canoe Headlight. 

Fig. 539.—Support for Automobile Spotlight. 


base, two screws, a piece of gas pipe or water pipe threaded 
upon one end, and a floor flange. 

You can set up and take down this headlight so quickly, 
that you can use it interchangeably in your canoe, sharpie 
and other craft. 



















290 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Lamp Support is a piece of %-inch pipe 24 inches 
long (Fig. 539). A local plumber will sell you a piece, 
thread one end, and furnish a floor flange to screw it into. 
Drill a hole through the lower end of the pipe to admit 
the battery terminals. 

Cut the Base Board to fit the bottom of the canoe or 
other boat, and drill it for the screws for attaching it to the 
boat bottom. 

Paint the support and base with two coats of automobile 
enamel, or radiator aluminum paint. 

To Assemble the Headlight, clamp the spotlight to the 
top of the pipe support, and fish the terminal wires through 
the hole near the base and up through the pipe. The switch 
shown at the top of the pipe is of the kind used on house¬ 
hold appliances. It will be unnecessary if your spotlight 
is equipped with a switch. 

Paddle and Oar Repairs 

As summer wears on, paddles and oars require attention. 
Taken in time, a broken handle or blade may be restored 
to a condition almost as good as new. 

Broken Handles are harder to mend than split blades, 
especially when the break is straight across. A diagonal 
break can be spliced as shown in the diagram of the broken 
paddle (Fig. 540). First, coat the surfaces of the break 
with a waterproof glue or cement. Then bring them to¬ 
gether, clamp them, and allow to stand until the glue has 
set. Next, drill a hole through the center of the length of 
the splice, and drive a screw into the hole. 


WOODS AND WATER IDEAS 


291 


Reinforce the Connection with a wrapping of heavy 
twine, fishing line or wire. Figs. 541 and 542 show 
The Twine Splice. Probably you know how to make it, 



Fig. 540.—Paddle With Broken Handle and Blade, Before Mending. 
Figs. 541 and 542.—Twine Splice of Handle. 

Fig. 543.—Wire Splice of Handle. 

Fig. 544.—Blade, After Mending. 

Fig. 545.—Wood Joint Fastener. 

since it is described in the Boy Scout handbook. Lay twine 
along the handle as shown in Fig. 541, with one end at A 
and a loop formed at B. Then wind the remainder of the 
twine (C) tightly around the handle from end A as far 



































































































































292 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


as loop B, slip it through the loop, and pull end A so as to 
draw the loop under the turns to hold it fast, as shown in 
Fig. 542. Finish the splice with a coat of shellac. 

A Wire Splice is stronger. Bale wire will answer the pur¬ 
pose. Drive one end of the wire into a hole drilled in the 
handle (Fig. 543). Then wind the wire tightly around the 
handle, pushing the turns close together, and at a point 
beyond the end of the splice cut off the wire and fasten it 
with a double-pointed tack. 

A Square Break may be spliced in the same way. First, 
bevel the broken ends so they can be overlapped. This will 
shorten the handle 4 inches or more. 

A Broken Oar Handle requires a longer splice than a 
paddle handle, because it is subjected to greater leverage. 
This may make the oar too short for practical purposes. But 
possibly you will find another broken handle and can get 
enough length out of the two handles to make one of stand¬ 
ard length. 

Glue or cement the oar handle splice, then drive a bolt or 
screw through it, being careful not to split the wood, and 
bind with wire as shown in Fig. 543. 

A Split Handle should be given immediate attention. 
Fill the crack with glue or cement, and bind with twine or 
wire. 

A Split Paddle or Oar Blade can be mended with wood 
joint fasteners (Figs. 544 and 545), otherwise known as saw- 
edge divergent corrugated fasteners. These fasteners are 
available at most hardware stores, in several sizes. Buy a 
length that is a trifle shorter than the thickness of the blade 


WOODS AND WATER IDEAS 


293 


at the line of break. If you cannot get a short enough 
length, cut off longer ones with a hack-saw. 

First, coat the edges of the broken parts of the blade with 
glue or cement, and clamp them together. Then drive the 
fasteners into the blade, crosswise of the grain, as shown in 
Fig. 544. Space the fasteners about 4 inches apart, on one 
face of the blade. Then turn over the blade and drive in 
another set of fasteners to come half-way between the first 
set, as indicated by full and dotted lines. Rest the under 
side of the blade upon a hard flat surface while you drive 
home the fasteners. 

Fig. 544 suggests how to 

Tip Your Paddle Blade with a strip of sheet copper, if it 
isn’t so protected. This reinforcement is necessary for a 
split blade. Snip the edges of the copper strip, fold the 
strip in half lengthwise, hammer it over the end of the 
blade, and fasten with copper tacks. Drive the tacks 
through and clinch them. Fig. 544 suggests how to protect 
the upper end of the break with a folded strip of copper. 



T 


, ■) . 
. ^ 



■ A 


c 


CHAPTER XXXI 
BACK-YARD SHACKS 




'?>1i 4’^ 


—jpt:-: m ■ 



The main problem in building a back-yard workshop, 
museum, club house, Boy Scout patrol hut, shanty or 
shack is usually getting together enough 

Material for the Job. Crating material is good enough, 
and there are several sources from which you can draw it. 
First, are the sites of new and remodeled buildings. Get 
acquainted with a builder’s foreman. Quantities of this 
material are used in crating bath tubs and other plumbing 
fixtures, and heating equipment. Visit a plumbing and 
heating shop and ask for what they have on hand. Go to 
a paint store and ask for the crates that window glass and 
mirrors are shipped in. And don’t overlook the furniture 
store and the hardware store. Boards from large packing 
cases can be used also. 

Crating material will do for the shack framework, but 
2-by-2s and 2-by-4s are better. Buy them if you can. 

In the photograph of Fig. 546 is 

A Small Shack 

built by Richard Franklin, shown perched upon the roof, 
and Bud Cramer, standing in the doorway. These lads dis- 

294 















































Fio. 546.—A Small Shack. 



















BACK-YARD SHACKS 


295 


covered a large pile of crating material on the site of a 
building that was nearing completion. The building con- 


7-0^^--t 



Fig. 548.—Plan of Shack Shown in Photograph of Fig. 546. 


tractor was about to set fire to the pile, but they gained 
possession upon promise to get it out of the way quickly. 
Then, in return for running errands, they obtained enough 
parts of rolls of building paper for roofing, and for lining 
the walls inside, and all of the nails they needed. 

Fig. 548 is a plan of the shack. You may object that it 
is too small. But maybe it is as large as you can get ma¬ 
terial for. Let this determine the size. It will be no trick 
to enlarge the plan. 

The Framework is shown in perspective in Fig. 549. 






















































296 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


First lay the sill plates. Level them with bricks or stones. 
Then set the comer posts and brace them with temporary 



diagonal braces. The front posts of this hut are only 5 feet 
6 inches long, the rear posts 6 inches shorter. Maybe you 
will want to cut them longer to provide more head room. 
Space the studs, or intermediate posts, to suit door and win¬ 
dow openings. Nail the top plates to the posts and studs, 
spiking 2-by-2 blocks to the corner posts, as shown in Fig. 
549, for additional support. 

With the framework completed, it will be a simple job to 
put on 

The Sheathing. Cut the boards of the right lengths so 
their ends will strike studs. Fit them around the window 

































































BACK-YARD SHACKS 


297 


and door openings. The windows of this shack are small. 
It would be better to increase their size, to admit more light 
and air. 

Lay the Roof boards from front to rear. If your material 
isnT long enough to reach from plate to plate, set in an 
intermediate plate to support the ends of short pieces. If 
you cannot get heavy building paper or tar paper to make 
a tight roof, perhaps you can find some tent canvas, old 
awning goods or sheet metal. 

No Floor is Necessary in this shack, if you bank the 
walls with earth on the outside to keep out surface water. 




Fig. 550.—Batten Door. 

Fig. 551.—^Window Shutter With Counter-Balance. 

The Door is shown in Fig. 550. It is what is called a 
batten door with the boards fastened together with two 
horizontal strips, or battens, and braced with a diagonal 
strip. Use nails long enough to drive through the boards 
and battens, and clinch upon the inner face of the battens. 
































































298 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Windows may have wooden shutters instead of sash. 
Fig. 551 suggests how to make grooves for the shutters to 
slide in, and how to rig up a counter-balance with rope, 
pulleys and a brick or other weight. 

Box Furniture 

is the right kind for the shack. Fig. 552 shows how to build 
A Window Seat across one end wall. By using boxes 
and hinging the cover boards as shown, there will be storage 



space for books, magazines and other treasure. But be cer¬ 
tain that the roof and the walls are watertight before put¬ 
ting anything of value under the seat. 

A Boy Scout Patrol Shack 
The photograph of Fig. 547 shows a unique shack with 
attic, built by Claugh Cullen and his patrol. Fig. 553 shows 
a plan and Fig. 554 shows a perspective of the framework 





































BACK-YARD SHACKS 


299 


with principal dimensions. If you do not want to duplicate 
this shack, you will at least get ideas from the diagrams 
that will enable you to shape up a structure to your liking. 



Fig. 553.—-Plan of Patrol Shack Shown in Photograph 

of Fig. 547. 


The Essentials of a Patrol Shack are a floor space large 
enough to accommodate 8 boys, tight walls and roof, good 



















































300 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


light, and heat for winter. The shack illustrated has a 
ground area of 7 by 10 feet, its walls are lined inside with 
wallboard, the attic space has cross ventilation, making a 
cool lower story in warm weather, and there is a stove for 
heating in cold weather. 



Fig. 554.—Framework Perspective. 


A table, several chairs, a wall book-rack, and two bunks 
comprise the furniture. There are books, magazines, games 
and a radio set for entertainment, and, at last reports, the 
boys were installing a telegraph set for communication with 
scouts of another shack. 

The Framework is clearly explained by plan and perspec¬ 
tive. If you buy new material, you will save on the cost by 
using 2-by-2s instead of 2-by-4s for all short framework 
members. They will be strong enough for a small building. 



























































































































BACK-YARD SHACKS 


301 


After staking out the shack, lay the floor plates, then the 
floor boards. Then you will have a level platform on which 
to set up the wall studding. Spike the studs in place, brace 
them, and top them with the attic floor plates. Then lay 
the attic floor, with an opening at one comer for a scuttle, 
and upon this floor build up the wall framework to the 
height of the roof. A center double 2-by“4 rafter should be 
sufficient support for the attic floor and roof. But interme¬ 
diate rafters may be set in for reinforcement. 

The Sheathing for the walls of the shack illustrated was 
of new lumber. Bun the sheathing across 

The Window Openings, then cut the openings. Screens, 
with board shutters to keep out rain, will be sufficient for 
warm weather, but sash will be necessary for cold weather. 
If you can get second-hand window sash, arrange the wall 
studding so that they will fit between them. Wooden shut¬ 
ters with a good fit will be sufficient protection for the attic 
windows. 

Build a Batten Door like that shown in Fig. 550. 

Lay the Roof as described for the smaller shack, with a 
covering of roofing paper. 

Build a Ladder to the attic by nailing l-by-2s across the 
studs, in one corner, as shown in Fig. 554. 

Insulation 

If the shack is to be heated in winter, insulate the walls. 
Instead of buying wallboard or roofing paper, collect cor¬ 
rugated cartons, separate them at the corners, flatten them 
out, and tack the pieces to the inside of the walls and ceil- 


302 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


ing. Protect the wall back of the stove with a sheet of 
asbestos or galvanized iron. 

Bunks 

should be provided if you intend to sleep out, and, of course, 
that is one-half of the fun of owning a shack. If you can 
get two old bedsprings, support them upon cleats and slats 
fastened to the walls at one end of the shack. Place one 
bedspring 16 inches above the floor, the other half-way be¬ 
tween it and the ceiling. 


Painting 

Whether you use new or old lumber, give the outside 
walls of your shack two coats of paint. One of the cheaper 
grades of paint will do. 



CHAPTER XXXII 


A CAVE WITH SECRET 
ENTRANCE 





•v- •♦'•'-.V 

. >-Mm .. iV'-. 


■ -•ttiMvJ 


You would give a good deal to own a cave, I know, and 
for a long time I have been planning to tell you how to 
make one like that shown in this chapter. This cave differs 
from what we generally think of as a cave. It is partly 
below ground and partly above. The reason for making it 
this way is that it is safer. Oftentimes the roof of an un¬ 
derground cave falls in burying its victims, and you must 
not take chances of being hurt. This cave is dry, light and 
well ventilated, and it has an interesting feature that some 
caves have—a secret entrance. The illustrations show 
where the entrance is, but don’t give it away to a soul, ex¬ 
cept your brother or your chum, and then only upon his 
swearing to secrecy and promising to help you build the 
cave. When you allow friends to enter, blindfold them 
before conducting them in. 


The Building Material 

Except for a few 2-by-2s for the wall supports, you should 
not have to buy material for the above-ground portion of 
the cave, because crating material and box boards will do 
very well. On the site of a new building, you will find 

303 




















































304 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


many sizes of crating boards that the building contractor 
will gladly let you have, and at a plumbing shop, a paint 



Fig. 555.—This Cave, Part Underground and Part Above, Has 

a Secret Entrance. 


store and a hardware store, you can get discarded crating 
material. 


The Size of the Cave 

may be whatever you wish to make it. The cave in the 
illustrations has a floor 8 feet square. This is none too 
large, considering that the slanted walls cut down the head- 
room. Fig. 556 is a cross-section that shows how the com¬ 
pleted cave will look inside. 




























A CAVE WITH SECRET ENTRANCE 


305 


CRAW 
IN 





Fig. 556. —Cross-Section of Cave, Showing Secret Entrance. 


The Underground Portion 
First of all, stake out the four corners of the cave. Then 
dig a pit from 20 to 24 inches deep inside of this space (Fig. 





Fig. 557.—Dig a Pit Like This for Underground Portion 

of Cave. 


557). That is a deep hole, but you will need as much earth 
as you will dig out, to bank around the wooden walls. Trim 



































306 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


the sides of the pit straight. Fig. 557 shows how to cut 
away the bank of the pit at the cave entrance. You may 
leave this digging until after you have built 


The Above-Ground Portion 
The Walls. Fig. 558 shows the front wall. Use a piece 
of 2-by-2 along each end, one in the center, and one each 


hl5-IN.1 



side of the doorway. Start the wall by placing the main 
upright pieces upon the ground with ends correctly spaced, 
then fastening them temporarily with boards nailed across 
their ends. Board up this framework, then mark out the 
door opening and cut it. Build the rear wall of the same 


size. 



















































A CAVE WITH SECRET ENTRANCE 


307 


Before setting up the walls, get a box about 14 inches 
wide and 14 inches deep. The length does not matter. 
This box is to fit between the walls at the peak, to form 

A Ventilator Shaft. Remove one end of the box, nail a 
narrow board across the open top at each end, make a door 
out of the cover boards, and hinge the door to the box end 
that will be the upper part of the shaft. Cut a stick prop 
of the right length to hold open the ventilator door (Fig. 
556). Nail a block of wood to the side of the box to sup¬ 
port the lower end of the stick. 

To Set Up the Walls, first stand the front and rear wall 
in the correct positions on opposite banks of the pit, and 
fasten their tops to the sides of the ventilator shaft box. 
Then nail boards across their end edges to complete the side 
walls. A center upright will be necessary to stiffen the side 
walls, and to nail short boards to. This is shown in the 
cross-section of Fig. 556. 

The Secret Entrance is low, but the door must be 4 feet 
long so when it is closed it 
will slant as the earth banked 
around the walls. A detail of 
the door is shown in Fig. 559. 

Nail narrow boards to the 
edges as shown, to retain the 
earth and sod that are to con¬ 
ceal it. Fasten together the 
door boards with battens 
nailed across the under side. 

Hinge the door to the head of 



Fig. 559.—Detail of Secret 
Entrance. 
























308 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


the doorway, and pivot a pair of stick legs to the sides to 
support it when it has been raised. 

Make the Walls Watertight with building paper or roof¬ 
ing felt, or, lacking paper, tack pieces of old awnings, a 
tent, carpet or burlap bags to the walls. 

Outside Grading 

When the walls have been completed, bank earth around 
them as shown in Fig. 555. It will be necessary to drive 
stakes at the entrance to keep the earth from sliding in. 
If you can get oats or grass seed, sow it over the banked 
earth, and before many days you will have a green carpet 
that will afford natural concealment. If you lack grass seed, 
use cuttings, weeds or straw to hide the entrance. 



T 


a 


CHAPTER XXXIII 
A PLAY PERISCOPE 




_ —«• 





As you know, a periscope is a long tube with mirrors 
inside, by which you can see what is going on above with¬ 
out exposing yourself to view. It is the submarine’s eye 
when this craft is subtnerged. It is the trench fighter’s 
means of watching for the enemy, in trench warfare. 

There are several ways of having fun with the home¬ 
made periscope. First, in the back-yard cave, described in 
Chapter XXXII. The cave is built without a window, be¬ 
cause caves do not have windows. But the ventilator shaft 
in its roof is an excellent lookout, and with the periscope 
raised as shown in Fig. 560, you will see out as plainly as 
though you were able to climb up into the shaft. 

Imagine Your Cave a Submarine 
submerged in mid-ocean, and if your imagination is strong, 
you will experience some of the thrills of submarine cruis¬ 
ing. Again, imagine that your cave is an airplane, and that 
except for the periscope you are flying blind.” Here are 

Other Possibilities for Fun 
with the periscope. Use it to keep track of your pursuer 

309 





























































310 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


in a game of hide-and-go-seek. It will enable you to peek 
around corners (Fig. 561), over fence tops, and over mounds 



Fig. 560. —Using the Periscope in Cave. 


of earth and other places of concealment, without being 
seen, and to watch for an opportune time to dash out and 
away to the goal. 

In winter, use it when defending your snow fort from 
attacking parties. Other uses will suggest themselves. I 
know a lad who discovered that a periscope long enough to 
top the fence of the local baseball field, afforded him a 
fuller view of the game than he could obtain through a 











A PLAY PERISCOPE 


311 


knot hole. Indeed, a giraffe has nothing on you, if you 
own a periscope. 

How THE Periscope is 
Made 

Fig. 562 shows the 
completed home-made 
periscope, and Fig. 563 is 
a cross-section of the box. 

Notice in the cross-sec¬ 
tion that the two mirrors 
are set at angles of 45 de¬ 
grees, so when you look 
through the peep-hole 
into the lower mirror, 
you will see the reflection 
of the view projected 
through the front open¬ 
ing onto the upper mirror. 

This Material is Required 

to make the periscope. Box boards 18 inches long, two 
mirrors of the kind sold in ten-cent stores, a leather strap 
and nails. 

The dimensions on the diagrams of Fig. 567 need not be 
followed closely. The mirrors you buy (Fig. 568) may re¬ 
quire a wider or a deeper box, or they may permit making 
the box smaller. If you can find box boards longer than 18 
inches, make a longer periscope. It will be a simple matter 
to change dimensions to suit the mirrors and box boards. 



Fig. 561.— Playing Hide-and-Go-Seek 
With Periscope. 


















312 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 




Fig. 562.—Completed Periscope. 

Fig. 663.—Cross-Section of Periscope. 
Figs. 564-566.—^Assembly Details. 


The Construction is Simple 
First, cut end pieces A and side boards B (Fig. 567) and 
nail boards B to the edges of ends A (Fig. 564). Back 
board C has the peep hole (Fig. 567). Cut the hole 2 inches 
in diameter, about 5 inches above the lower end. Unless 
you have a large bit, cut the hole with a coping-saw (Fig. 
569). The hole doesnT have to be round, but if you de¬ 
scribe a circle first, there is no reason why you cannot cut 
it round. If you haven’t a small bit with which to start 
a hole to admit the saw blade, make a hole with a nail. 
Fasten back board C to the edges of ends A and sides B 
with nails. 































































A PLAY PERISCOPE 


313 



Fig. 568.—Mirrors. 

* 


Fig. 567.—Patterns for Box. 


Fit the Mirrors in position 
next. Tack a narrow cleat to 
back board C (Figs. 563, 564 
and 567) to support the lower 
edge of the upper mirror, and 
nail the strip E (Figs. 566 and 
567) across the front of the 
box to support the upper edge 
(Fig. 563). Let the lower edge 
of the lower mirror rest upon 

the box end, and support the Fig. 569.—Cut Peep-Hole with 
upper edge on nails driven Cogng|aw if You Haven’t a 

through the box sides, each 

side of the mirror frame, as indicated in Figs. 563 and 564. 
































314 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Complete the box by nailing front board D in place (Fig. 
565), and tacking 

A Strap Handle to each side near the lower end, as shown 
in Figs. 560 and 562. 

Paint the Inside Black 

before mounting the mirrors, to make the sides non-reflect¬ 
ing surfaces. Also paint the outside of the periscope. 



c 


CHAPTER XXXIV 

THE WABASH LIMITED 
PUSHMOBILE 









The photographs opposite page 316 show one of the 
cleverest groups of boy-designed, boy-built vehicles that has 
come to my attention. These boy-size vehicles are a step 
between miniature models and the real thing. Building 
them is a hobby worthy of any boy^s time and energy. 

The railroad pushmobile in Fig. 570 was built by James 
and Aldwin Scott, Rowland Hardin and Charles Stevenson, 
the dump truck in Fig. 571 by the latter two boys, and the 
airplane pushmobile in Fig. 572 by James Scott. 

In order that these examples of home-made vehicles may 
have an influence on the building of these and other types 
of rigs, I have made a record of them in the working dia¬ 
grams of this and the two chapters that follow. Accept 
what you like, introduce your own ideas, and progress in 
the development of the home-made vehicle industry shall 
continue. 


The Railroad Working Capital 
at the disposal of the boy builders of the Wabash Limited 
consisted of a fund of patience, resourcefulness and inge¬ 
nuity, a good sense of proportion, and a knack of assembling 
parts so they stay put. 


315 























































316 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Materials 

did not cost a cent. Ten pairs of wheels, old boards and 
2-by-4s, banana baskets, fruit crates, grocery boxes, tin 
cans, pans, stove pipe, and garden hose were used. 

The Tools 

used in building the Wabash Limited were few in number, 
but upon the publication of my newspaper articles descrip¬ 
tive of the model, officials of the Wabash Railroad presented 
each boy with a cabinet of twenty Stanley tools in recog- 
• nition of his good work. 



Fig. 573 shows a side view of 

The Locomotive 

and Fig. 574 shows a head-on view. The first part built 
was 

The Chassis. A 12-inch board 5 feet long was used for 
a reach (Fig. 575). The front end of this was cut away 
on each side, as shown, to provide for the turning of the 

































































Fig. 571. —Dump-Truck Pushmobile. 



Fig. 572. —Airplane Pushmobile. 






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THE WABASH LIMITED PUSHMOBILE 317 

wheels, and it was bolted to a 2-by-4 12 inches long, for the 
front wheel bolster. The rear end was nailed to a l-by-4 
board for the rear-wheel bol¬ 


ster. 

The Wheel Axles were 
fastened with nails driven into 
the bolsters and bent over. 

The Boiler Framework was 
built of two banana baskets 
fastened to a box 13 inches 
wide and 4 feet long, as shown 
in Fig. 576, then 

The Boiler Jacket was 
formed of stove pipe, opened 
at the seams, flattened, bent 
to fit over the framework, and 
nailed to the box sides (Fig. 
574). The boiler was mounted 
upon the chassis 10 inches 
above the reach board, with a 
10-inch board fitted under eacl 



Fig. 574. — Head-on View of 
Engine. 


side to support it. 



Fig. 575.—Plan of Engine Chassis. 


The Cab has a base built out of a box 10 inches deep and 
13 inches wide. The upper part was built to extend 6% 


z 





































































318 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


inches over each side of the box. Figs. 573 and 574 give the 
dimensions. The sides were made of %-inch boards, the 
roof of thin box boards. 

The Driving Rods are ingenious. A block of wood was 
fastened to the spokes of each driving wheel, with bent- 
over nails. A short length of l-by-2 was pivoted to the 
block with a nail, and two longer strips were bolted to the 



Fig. 576. — Detail of Engine-Boiler Framework. 


end of the short piece (Fig. 573). Gallon-sized tin cans 
were used for 

The Cylinders. One end of each was cut as shown in Fig. 
577, then the two cans were mounted upon the chassis, as 
shown in Figs. 573 and 574, so the rods would slide back 
and forth in them. 






























THE WABASH LIMITED PUSHMOBILE 319 

The Steering Device is simple. Two stick levers were 
pivoted to the sides of the cab (Figs. 573 and 578), and 
ropes were run from them to the axle ends. 

The Steam Dome and 
Sand Box were made of 
two sauce pans, inverted, 
and nailed to the top of 
the boiler. 

The Stack was made 
of a coffee can 4 inches 
in diameter and 6 inches 
deep, and 

The Headlight was 

made of a cocoa can. 

Fig. 579 shows how 

The Bell was made of 
the gong from an electric 
bell and a tack hammer, 
with the hammer pivoted at its center to swing, and a cord 
attached to the handle and carried into the cab. 

A Running Board was fastened on each side of the boiler. 

Steam and Water Pipes were formed of garden hose, and 

A Pilot was shaped out of stove pipe. 

Inside of the cab are 

Valves. One set was made of the head of a guitar (Fig. 
580), others of worn-out faucets. 



ing Rod. 

Fig. 578.—Detail of Steering Lever. 

Fig. 579.—Detail of Bell. 

Fig. 580.—Guitar Head Valves for Cab. 


The Tender 

is a two-wheeled rig. Fig. 573 shows its length and height. 








320 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS' HOBBIES 


It is 21 inches wide. It was built like a cart, with high 
sides and part of the top boarded over. 

The Pullman 

with its observation platform is shown in detail in Fig. 581. 
It is 24 inches wide by the other dimensions given. This 

car has four wagon 
wheels. It was built 
like an express 
wagon. Indeed, the 
Pullman body with 
observation plat¬ 
form might have 
been built to fit 
Fig. 581.—Side Elevation of Pullman. upon an express 

wagon. Notice the bolt and shaft coupler. 

The Paint Job 

was not completed, because there wasn’t enough paint, but 
what paint there was served to stripe parts to bring out 
details, and to letter the engine, tender and Pulhnan. 





























































This new idea in pushmobiles is easy to carry out. It 
is the work of Charles Stevenson, shown in the photograph 
of Fig. 571, and of Roland Hardin. Both lads are enthusi^ 
astic model builders, and have no less than six types of 
wagons to their credit, besides a part ownership in the Wa¬ 
bash Limited pushmobile described in Chapter XXXIV. 
Collecting wagon wheels is one of their hobbies, and they 
own twenty pairs. No wonder, then, that it has been pos¬ 
sible for them to equip the dump truck with double rear 
wheels. The boys are strong for reproducing details, as 
the photograph will convince you. 

You will want to build one of these truck models. It will 
be different from any pushmobile owned in your neighbor¬ 
hood, and you will have great fun with it. I wish that you 
might see the original model, or my moving pictures which 
show the truck dumping a load of tin cans. 

You will have your own ideas as to how this and that 
part should be built, and you can work out your own meas¬ 
urements for the parts altered, but the working diagrams 
will help you to shape up your plans. 

Fig. 582 is a longitudinal section through the chassis, 

321 




























































322 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


hood, cab and truck, Fig. 583 is a plan of the under side 
of the chassis, Fig. 584 is a front elevation, Fig. 585 is a 



Fig. 582.—Side Elevation of Dump-Truck Pushmobile Shown in 

Photograph of Fig. 571. 



Fig. 583.—Plan of Under Side of Chassis. 


detail of the steering gear, and Fig. 586 is a detail of the 
brakes. 


The Chassis 

was made of a 2-by-8 plank 5 feet 6 inches long, with the 


















































































































A DUMP-TRUCK PUSHMOBILE 


323 


rear wheel axle bolster spiked 
to the rear end, and the front 
wheel axle bolster pivoted 
with a carriage bolt to the 
front end. The bolsters were 
cut from a 2-by-4. The wheel 
axles were fastened to them 
with nails driven each side of 
the rods, then bent over. Sta¬ 
ples would be better than nails. 

The Steering Gear 
shown in detail in Figs. 583 
and 585, required a bar a trifle 
shorter than the axle bolsters, 
a broom handle steering shaft 
and a wagon wheel steering 
wheel. The shaft was run 
through a hole bored 
through the center of the 
steering bar, and fast¬ 
ened to the bar with a 
nail. A bearing block 
like that shown in Fig. 

585 was used. A hole 
was bored through this 
block to admit the shaft, 
and the lower face was 
cut on a bevel to fit the 
chassis plank when the 


PULLEYS C--C 



Fig. 584.—Front Elevation of 
Dump-Truck Pushmobile. 



EROiyT AXLE 

bolster 


Fig. 585.—Detail of Steering Gear. 



















































































324 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


shaft had been set up with a rake to it, as shown in Fig. 582. 
The block was nailed to the chassis plank, and a spike was 
driven through the shaft for a pin to keep the shaft from 
slipping through the chassis plank. With the wheel, shaft 
and bar assembled, ropes were attached to nails driven into 
the bar and axle bolster, to complete the steering gear. 

The Braking Device 

is ingenious. Two pieces of l-by-2 were crossed at their 
centers and bolted to the chassis plank, as shown in Fig. 
583, at the right distance from the rear wheels, so when one 
end of each bar is pulled forward the other end is drawn 
against the wheel. The braking end of each bar was fitted 
with a triangular block to make square contact with the 
wheel. The blocks were attached as shown in Fig. 586. 
The brake ends were covered with rubber from an old auto¬ 
mobile tire tube. 

Figs. 583 and 586 show how the brake bars were con¬ 
nected to the broom handle lever, and how the lever was 
pivoted to the edge of the chassis. 

The Truck Cab 

was built of box boards, with the curved side openings 
trimmed with barrel hoops. The seat was supported upon 
end cleats, as shown in Fig. 582. 

The Hood 

was built of box boards. Figs. 582 and 584 show the de¬ 
tails. A piece of wire mesh was set in the front for the 
radiator, and a tin can was nailed to the top for a cap. 


A DUMP-TRUCK PUSHMOBILE 


325 



BROOM 

HANDLE 


The Truck Box 

was made of a packing box. One end was removed, and its 
boards were fastened together with battens, then hung be¬ 
tween the box sides, on an iron bar (Fig. 582) for the end 
gate. Two strips with notched ends were nailed to the box 
sides, and a stick was provided to reach across the back of 
the box and drop into the notches to lock the end gate. 

The photograph of Fig. 571 shows the device for locking 
the box. It is a stick that slides between two wooden 
blocks that were nailed to the cab side. The stick end is 
pushed back over the block on the box to lock the box, and 
drawn forward to unlock it. 

The truck box was supported upon blocking to raise it 4 
inches above the chassis plank, as shown in the photograph 
and Fig. 582. A piece of 2-by-4 was nailed across the box 
bottom, then this was hinged to a piece of board nailed to 
the plank end. 




326 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Dumping Hoist 

was made of a piece of 2-by-4 with a wooden bar nailed to 
its top (Figs. 582 and 584), a pair of pulleys fastened to 
the bar, and ropes attached to the box bottom, run up to 
and over the pulleys then down through a hole in the cab 
roof. 



CHAPTER XXXVI 

AN AIRPLANE 
PUSHMOBILE 





ill 

= 

1 



■ ■ 

Si 


..Jim. 


-'wV- 


Some of you boys may be no more interested in the in¬ 
tricacies of miniature model-making than James Scott is. 
Toy railroads donT appeal to James. He wanted an engine 
large enough to ride in. He designed and helped to build 
the Wabash Limited pushmobile described in Chapter 
XXXIV. He would have none of the store automobiles. 
He built a dandy roadster pushmobile. He made several 
model airplanes, but they only whetted his ambition to 
own a model in which he might fly. Possibly he will never 
succeed in building a real ship. That lies in the far future. 
But he has progressed as far as building the large motorless 
monoplane pushmobile shown in the photograph of Fig. 
572, and described in this chapter, and he is quite the 
proudest and most envied lad in the neighborhood. You 
would be, too, with such a model, and I am certain that 
you will decide to build one in your back yard. Pushed 
over the ground, with the wind turning its propeller, this 
model furnishes the realism and much of the thrill of the 
preliminaries to an actual taking off. 

The general dimensions of James’ airplane pushmobile 
are given on the accompanying working diagrams, but you 

327 



























































GALV. IRON MOOD 


328 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 



Fig. 587.—Side Elevation of Airplane Pushmobile (Shown in Photograph of Fig. 572.) Fig. 588.— 
Front Elevation. Fig. 589.—^Longitudinal Section of Fuselage. Fig. 590.—Plan of Bottom 
Frame of Fuselage. Fig. 591.—Rudder Detail. Fig. 592.—Propeller Blade. Fig. 593.—^Pro¬ 
peller Hub. Fig. 594.—Propeller Shaft. 













































































AN AIRPLANE PUSHMOBILE 


329 


can build a Ryan, a Curtiss or a Ford from the photographs 
and working drawings given in Chapter XI, or any other 
model that you want. 

Fig. 587 shows a side elevation of James’ model. Fig. 588 
a front view, and Fig. 589 a longitudinal section of the 
fuselage. 

The Fuselage 

was started by making a bottom frame like that in Fig. 590. 
This was built of two 2-by-2s, a l-by-2 and a 2-by-4. Then 
a duplicate frame was built of 1-by-ls for a center frame, 
shown in Fig. 589. The rear end of this frame was fastened 
to the bottom frame, the forward end to uprights, as shown. 
The top frame (Fig. 589) was curved two ways. The for¬ 
ward part of this was made by 1-by-ls, the rear portion of 
iron rods. The front ends of the rods were fitted in holes 
bored in the 1-by-ls, and the rear ends were fitted in holes 
bored in the center frame strips. 

The Cabin Window was framed with upright strips, and 
The Hatchway was framed with cross strips. 

To complete the fuselage framework, all comers were 
reinforced with iron angle braces, and a cowling of galvan¬ 
ized iron was shaped to fit over the nose. 

The Fin 

was built upon the tail of the fuselage, of three strips of 
l-by-2 of the lengths marked in Fig. 589. 

The Rudder 

was made of a board. Fig. 591 shows a detail of it. Two 


330 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS^ HOBBIES 


nails were driven into the edge of the board, and bent to 
form pins, and a pair of screw-eyes were screwed into the fin 
frame to hook the pins into. A crosspiece with rope con¬ 
trols attached to its ends completed the rudder. 

The donation of a discarded airplane propeller was 
James’ good luck. But you can make one by cutting two 
board blades (Fig. 592) and fastening them in slots cut 
diagonally in the ends of a 2-by-4 hub (Fig. 593). Bore a 
hole through the hub, to admit the threaded end of a piece 
of iron pipe (Fig. 594), and screw a pipe cap to the threaded 
end to hold the propeller on the shaft. Run the shaft 
through holes in a block set in the nose of the fuselage, and 
through a hole in an upright placed 24 inches back of the 
block. 


The Motor Cylinders 

were made of tin cans. James used six cans, but there 
should be seven or nine. The cans were bolted to the 
cowling. 

The Wing 

was made in two sections. A half plan of the wing frame¬ 
work is shown in Fig. 595. To give it proper camber, a 
strip of l-by-3 was placed on edge for the center spar, a 
l-by-2 was placed on edge for the leading-edge spar, and a 
l-by-2 was set flat for the trailing-edge spar. The rear edge 
was cut away at the ends to admit two ailerons, as shown 
in Fig. 595, and pieces of board were set in and hinged to 
the center spar. The framework was then covered on both 
sides with thin boards. 


AN AIRPLANE PUSHMOBILE 


331 


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\ 0 '- 9 '" 


o r xa'v 

m 


n -- 

i-'t ■ 




RIGHT WING 


BOX BOARDS 


FRAMEWORK 


CONTROL ROPE 


T 


HORN 

PULLEV 


AIL 


ERON 


h 


1-X2"-' -26'^- 

Fig. 595. —Half-Plan of Wing Framework. 



Fig. 596.—Half-Plan of Stabilizer Framework. 


The Stabilizer 

was built in one piece (Fig. 596), with a frame of l-by-ls 
and l-by-3s, and two boards hinged to it for elevators. 

The Landing-Gear 

was built of a pair of rubber-tired wheels, an iron axle, two 
l-by-3 uprights and three diagonal struts, set up as shown 
in Figs. 587 and 588. 


The Covering 

After the fuselage, wing, fin, and stabilizer frameworks 
had been completed, they were covered with canvas. A 
light-weight cotton duck will do, or, building paper, un¬ 
bleached muslin or poultry feed bags. 





















































332 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Cabin 

is shown in the longitudinal section. Here you will see the 
controls for the ailerons, eleyators and rudder. Rig up a 
joystick and pedals for operating the controls. The pilot^s 
seat of the model illustrated was upholstered with leather 
from an old couch. 


Paint the Ship 

so that it will not look like a tramp outfit, 
used a battleship gray, with black lettering, 
minum paint will make an attractive finish. 


James Scott 
Radiator alu- 


I 











CHAPTER XXXVII 

BACK-YARD RAIL¬ 
ROADING 






"vr 







Building model railroad systems is a recent development 
of an idea popular as long ago as when I was a lad. Present 
widespread interest has been brought about by the manu¬ 
facture of nicely proportioned railroad equipment of Ameri¬ 
can types, including practically everything to be found in 
modem railroad systems. When you get your hands on 
this real-looking stuff, you cannot resist the impulse to 
build a model, and once you have started, there is no telling 
how extensive the layout will be. 

This modern toy railroad business makes us older boys 
wish that we were in our teens again, but years do not pre¬ 
vent our building models, and if at first we are not as agile 
in getting around on the ground, we can train into condi¬ 
tion. Use a stop-watch on Dad, after you have got a good 
start on a back-yard model, and see how long he keeps out 
of the game. 

Models that we built would seem crude to-day, but prob¬ 
ably not more so than any vehicle setting of former days 
compared with one of the present time. An engine run by 
clockwork, cast-iron trains drawn by a string, were the best 
equipment available then. But you boys have electrical 

333 



















































334 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


railroads, exact models of real engines, trains, depots, 
bridges, signal systems and other accessories to select from, 
for which good fortune you are indebted to wide-awake 
American toy manufacturers. 

Because the toy railroad catalogs are filled with wonder¬ 
ful equipment, however, do not feel that all this is essential 
to a good model. If you own track, engine, tender, several 
cars, a switch or two, and a transformer to connect to the 
house or garage electric current, or a battery of dry cells, 
consider yourself in luck. You can 

Make Accessories 

including a railroad station, water tank, signal tower, gates, 
bridge, tunnels, and culvert, and get lots of fun out of the 
work. 

The photograph of Fig. 597 shows 

A Village Model 

built by Mr. Clyde Nolan, a model enthusiast, who has a 
dozen or more layouts to his credit. Notice how complete 
this model is, with its railroad viaduct to the right, in the 
background, tunnel entrance to the left, lake in the fore¬ 
ground with a concrete bridge across it, and business block 
of store buildings and a church. Besides being very com¬ 
plete, everything is in proportion. Exactness of detail is 
important. 

The photograph of Fig. 598 shows 

A Rocky Mountain Model 

built upon my studio lot. Besides the mountain creek with 



Fig. 597. —Village Model Built by Clyde Nolan. 



Fig. 598. —Rocky Mountain Model Built by Author. 









BACK-YARD RAILROADING 


335 


railroad bridge and corduroy bridge, tunnel and railroad 
depot, shown in the picture, there are many developments 
on the hill not visible, which represent many hours of study 
and modelling. 

It is not expected that you will want to copy-either 
model, but you will get ideas from each, which will assist 
you in creating a model. Indeed, since the material in this 
chapter was published in my department in The American 
Boy several years ago, I have received many photographs 
from readers showing models in which the ideas have been 
incorporated. 

If you have never attempted this form of model building. 


Start With a Simple Model 

like that shown in Fig. 599. Then add other features, and 
gradually develop it into a large model. That is what my 
reader Paul Baurle did, and a photograph which I have be¬ 
fore me would indicate that his present ’model takes up the 
greater part of his back yard, and includes such features as 
a mountain range, tunnel, waterfall, creek, lake, quarry, 
village, buildings, lumber yard and railroad terminal. 

One of the most interesting engineering problems is 


Building a Model Lake 

When I built my first model, cement was expensive, and 
no one thought of using it for model-building. So I con¬ 
trived 

A Wash Tub Lake by sinking a tub in the ground with 


336 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 



/ ■ ^ 


^ Fig. 599. — Start with a Simple Model Like This. 























BACK-YARD RAILROADING 337 

its rim level with the surface. If you use a tub, replace 
it with 

A Concrete Basin as soon as you can get the material to 
cast one. One bag of cement, twice that quantity of sand, 
and twice as much crushed stone or clean gravel as sand, 
will build a basin 24 inches wide, 48 inches long, and 6 
inches deep. Dig a hole irregular in shape, as shown in 
Fig. 599, and cast the basin in the manner described for the 
fish-pool in Chapter XXIV. Indeed, this may be used as 
a fish-pool. 


A Mountain Creek 

like that in the photograph of Fig. 598 should be narrow 
and zigzag. Fig. 603 suggests what a cross-section of the 
creek may look like, with one bank ballasted for railroad 
roadbed. 

The next engineering problem, after establishing the 
creek, is to throw 

A Railroad Bridge 

across it. If you will look in an encyclopedia, you will 
find pictures and descriptions of arched bridges, suspension 
bridges, cantilever bridges, box-girder bridges, trussed 
bridges and other types. You can build several kinds, if 
you want to. 


A Concrete Bridge 

like that shown in Fig. 599 is a good one and it is easy to 
build. It requires 

A Form like that shown in Fig. 600. Cut two boards of 


338 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


the shape shown in Fig. 601, to fit between the sides of the 
basin, as in Fig. 600, for the sides of the form. Alter the 
dimensions to suit your basin. The projections on the 
board ends should extend over the banks. Provide for 
The Arched Openings by nailing three tin cans of No. 
3 size to one of the side boards, as shown in Fig. 602. 



Fig. 600.—Cross-Section of Concrete Lake. 
Fig. 601.—Side of Form for Casting Lake. 



Fig. 602.—Side of Form with Cans Attached for 

Casting Arches. 




































BACK-YARD RAILROADING 


339 


Sot the form in the basin, then wedge sticks between it 
and the ends of the basin to keep it from spreading when 
you pour the concrete. 

Mix the Concrete somewhat sloppy so that the thin por¬ 
tion will run down at the sides and give the exposed sur¬ 
faces a smooth finish. When you have poured and tamped 
the concrete and allowed it to set twenty-four hours, re¬ 
move the form. 



Fig. 603. —Cross-Section of Creek, with Ballasted 
Roadbed on Bank. 


The photograph of Fig. 597 shows 

A Different Design of Concrete Bridge 
The form for casting it will be the same as that for the 
bridge in Fig. 599, with the substitution of a piece of sheet 
metal for the tin cans. Lay iron rods or lengths of heavy 
wire in the form for reinforcement. 

A Box Girder Type of Bridge 
is shown in the photograph of Fig. 598, and in the detail 
















340 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


drawings of Figs. 604 to 609. It is an easy model to build. 
This one has three spans supported upon four abutments or 
Piers. The center piers are tin cans with tapered sides, 
the kind that corned beef is packed in. Cans with square 
sides will do, if you cannot get the tapered ones. 



Fig. 604.—Box Girder Type of Bridge Used in Model in 
Photograph of Fig. 598. 

Fig. 605.—^Assembly of Girders, Pier Blocks, and Ties. 

Fig. 606.—Girder. 

Fig. 607.—Pier Block. 

Fig. 608.—Tie. 

Fig. 609.—Pressed-Beef-Can Pier. 


The drawings show a bridge 36 inches long with 
The Roadbed 3% inches wide. Fig. 605 shows a detail of 
the roadbed assembly. Cut two sticks of the size shown in 
Fig. 606 for 

The Girders, and nail their ends to pier blocks B (Fig. 



























































BACK-YARD RAILROADING 341 

607). Cut the blocks of the same size as the can tops. 
Prepare 

The Ties of the dimensions in Fig. 608. Cut them from 
box boards, or frotn tree branches whittled flat upon two 
sides. Space them at equal distances apart, along the 
girders. Use a block of wood %-inch wide for a spacing 
block. Nail the ties with 1-inch brads. 

Fig. 606 shows how to cut notches in the under side of 
the girder strips for the rims of the tin-can piers to flt in. 
Fasten the cans to the girder strips with nails. Drive the 
nails through the ends and through the rims, as shown in 
Fig. 609. 

Paint the piers white or gray to represent concrete, the 
girders white, red or black. 

If you want to build 

A Steel Bridge 

use parts from a steel construction toy. You will find a 
design in your instruction book. / 

A Trussed Bridge 

of the corduroy type, common to the wagon road of the old 
West, is shown in the photograph of Fig. 598. Fig. 610 
shows the complete bridge, and Figs. 611 and 612 show de¬ 
tails of its parts. 

Cut the Girders of the length, width and thickness of A 
(Fig. 611), from sticks, and cut 
The Truss Members B, C and D from branches, of the 
right lengths to form trusses of the size shown. 

Cut the Tie Rods E from heavy wire, and run them 


342 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 




Fig. 611.— Side Truss of Corduroy Bridge. 
Fig. 612.— Roadbed. 






















BACK-YARD RAILROADING 


343 


through holes drilled in sticks A, B, and C. Notch the ends 
of struts D to fit over the tie rods. Bend over the rod tops 
to hold the members together. 

Build the Roadbed of a board 5 inches wide and 20 inches 
long (F, Fig. 612). Nail the four cross beams G to the 
under side, one at each end, and two in line with the tie 
rods E. Nail the pieces of branches H diagonally across 
the upper surface. Drill holes through the roadbed and 
cross beams, stick the tie rods through the holes and bend 
the ends over. 

Of course you will want to build 

A Railroad Tunnel 

for your electric train, like one of those shown in the models 
of Figs. 597, 598 and 599. This will be a simple problem in 
model engineering. 



Fig. 613.—Box for Earth Tunnel. 

Fig. 614.— Fill Earth Over Box Like This. 
Fig. 615.—Stone Entrance. 





























344 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Build a Box as long as you want the tunnel to be, and 
wide enough and high enough to admit your train and 
tracks (Fig. 613), then 

Build a Mountain over it, of earth and stones (Fig. 614). 
The easiest way to 

Finish the Entrances is to line them with pieces of stone, 
and place several large flat stones across the tops (Fig. 
615). But you can build cement entrances like that in the 
photograph of Fig. 597, using a large tin can or pail in the 
form to cast a circular opening. Before the cement has set 
hard, remove the front of the form and mark off stone 
courses with a knife or trowel. 

Instead of building the wooden box 
tunnel, you can remove the ends of two 
or three grocery boxes and place the boxes 
end to end as shown in Fig. 616. 

You must include 

A Railroad Depot 

in your model. Build one like that de¬ 
scribed in Chapter XL. Three layouts 
for the depot and tracks are shown in the 
photographs of Figs. 597 and 598, and in 
the drawing of Fig. 599. Do not neglect 
to take your tracks and other equipment 
indoors, or put them under cover, at night, unless they are 
rustproof. Parallel the tracks with 

A Telegraph Line 

as in the models of Figs. 597 and 598. Make 



Fig. 616 . —Gro¬ 
cery Boxes with 
Ends Removed 
Can Be Placed 
End to End for 
Tunnel Form. 
























BACK-YARD RAILROADING 


345 


The Poles like that in Fig. 617, of dowel sticks or peeled 
branches, notched near the tops (Fig. 618) for crosstrees. 
Cut stick crosstrees (Fig. 619), make wire brackets (Fig. 



Fig. 617.— Telegraph Pole. 

Figs. 618-622.—Details of Pole, Crosstree, Bracket, and 
Insulator. 






































346 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


620), and stick the brackets in holes drilled in the cross- 
trees (Fig. 621). Make insulators of glass beads mounted 
on round-headed tacks or screws (Fig. 622). Nail the cross- 
trees to the poles, and fasten the wire braces with small 
staples. 

Stick the ends of the poles far enough into the ground 
to stand erect, and for 

The Telegraph Wires string fine wire, wrapping twine or 
heavy thread from pole to pole. 

A Radio Transmitting Station 
should not be omitted, and if you have sufficient room, do 
not overlook 


An Airport 

with landing field, hangars, wind indicators, flood lights, 
and all of the other equipment. With air service and rail¬ 
road service provided for, you will have a truly up-to-date 
model. 


Material for Scenery 

can be picked up all about you. For the mountain model 
in the photograph of Fig. 598, I used large stones gathered 
along roadsides, smaller stones and pebbles picked up on a 
beach, earth excavated from the model creek, branches of 
arbor vitae, spruce and pine. 


Toy Animals and Live Stock 
were picked up in the nursery and in ten-cent stores, and 


BACK-YARD RAILROADING 


347 


Toy Automobiles, Airplanes and Wagons 
of the right proportions were obtained from the same 
sources. You will be lucky if you have a small brother or 
sister from whom you can borrow accessories. 

Lack of space prevents my giving 

Additional Suggestions 

but where I have left off you can continue, drawing upon 
your imagination. 





PART IV 

Autumn Hetties 











































































L 


Mi 




CHAPTER XXXVIII 

A TOY ELECTRIC 
BEACON 



A BOY came to my studio for help in designing a model 
lighthouse which he had been hired to build for a store 
window. He didnT know how to build the tower, but had 
carefully and accurately figured how he was going to gear 
down the speed of a toy motor, to turn the lantern the right 
number of revolutions per minute to produce the proper 
intervals between flashes. We worked out a scheme for 
the tower, the model was successfully completed, and it 
proved a tremendous attraction for the merchant who had 
contracted for it. 

Clever models for window displays are in demand; build¬ 
ing them is fun. The work gives you a chance to draw 
upon your imagination, and to use your ingenuity. When 
you have established a reputation as a model-builder, you 
will find a ready market for all the models that you can 
produce. But to make a profit on your work, you must 
keep material costs as low as possible. Consequently, it is 
important to devise ways of attaining results in the most 
direct manner. In the instance of the lighthouse, it would 
have been simpler and cheaper for the lad to substitute a 

351 

















































































352 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


flashing beacon for the revolving light, though from a 
mechanical standpoint the model might not have been so 
interesting to develop. 

The Flashing Beacon 

shown completed in the photograph of Fig. 623 was de¬ 
vised in my workshop. It is operated on an electric flasher 
of the kind used for electric signs. This beacon can be used 
indoors and out, in window displays, in playroom models 
and back-yard models. It is just the thing for 

A Play Harbor 

built on the shore of the lake or creek on which you sail 
your boats, or for the lake of a back-yard model like that 
described in Chapter XXXVII. 

It will be excellent also for 

A Model Airport Beacon 

or for any model that you may plan for the back yard. 

The Materials Needed 

to build it are a dish-draining wire basket, wire cloth, an 
electric drop-cord, receptacle and plug, lamp bulb, electric 
flasher, screw-top jar, and enough plaster-of-Paris, or ce¬ 
ment plaster, to cover the base and tower. 

The Tower Framework 

is shown completed in the photograph of Fig. 624, and in 
detail in Fig. 627. First cut 



Fig. 623.—A Sign-Flasher Operates this Toy Electric Beacon. 
Fig. 624.— Framework of Beacon. 



Fig. 625.—An Electric Toy Shooting-Gallery. 

(See Chapter XXXIX.) 

Fig. 626.—a Toy Motor Makes the Targb:t Rabbits Run. 







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A TOY ELECTRIC BEACON 


353 


Two Form Blocks of the diameters of A and B (Figs. 


628 and 629), out of a board % inch thick, 
saw to cut them, and a file and sandpaper 
cut edges. Bore two holes through block A 
and one through block B, to run the drop- 
cord through. 

The Covering is of wire cloth with %-inch 
mesh. Buy it at the hardware store. Cut a 
piece of the shape and size shown in Fig. 
630, for the sides of the tower, and shape it 
around the blocks A and B. Block A is to 
be set 3 inches from the top, and block B, 
flush with the bottom. Do not tack the wire 
cloth to the blocks until after you have in¬ 
stalled the drop-cord and made the electrical 
connections. 

The Bridge and Railing 
are made of wire cloth. Cut and bend a 
strip of the form shown in Fig. 631, with the 
railing three meshes in height, the bridge 
platform two meshes in width, and a lap of 
2 inches to fasten to the tower sides. After 
you have tacked the tower sides to its form 
blocks, wire the bridge and railing strip to 
the top. 


Use a coping- 
to smooth the 



Fig. 627.—De- 

The Tower Base tail of Tower 

of my model is built upon a dish-draining' and^SMon'^ 



























































354 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


wire basket (Fig. 624. You may use a board 10 or 12 inches 
square instead. Fasten block B of the tower to the basket, 
with staples (Fig. 632), or to a board base, with nails. 



Figs. 628 and 629.—Top and Bottom Blocks for Tower Framework. 
Fig. 630.—Pattern for Wire Covering of Tower Framework. 

Fig. 631.—Wire for Bridge and Railing. 

Fig. 632.—^Wire Basket for Base. 


The Electric Wiring 

must be done before you cover the tower framework, be¬ 
cause the space will be too small to work in after the cover¬ 
ing is on. 

The Lamp Receptacle should be of the type with porce¬ 
lain base, shown in Fig. 633. Run the wire ends of a 9-foot 
length of drop-cord through the holes in block A (Fig. 634), 
connect them to the binding-posts, screw the porce¬ 
lain base to the block, and snap the brass cap into place. 





































































































































A TOY ELECTRIC BEACON 

Then slip the other end of the drop-cord 
through the hole in block B, and connect its 
wires to a plug (Fig. 632). 

The Lantern is a mustard-jar with screw- 
cap (Fig. 635). The jar should approximate 
2% inches in diameter and 5 inches in height. 
Its neck opening should be at least 1% 
inches in diameter, so that it will admit a 
small lamp bulb. 

To install the lantern, cut an opening in 
the center of the screw-cap, with a can- 
opener, to admit the lamp receptable (Fig. 
636). Slip the cap over the receptacle, and 
solder the two together. Then screw the 
jar into its cap, and the lantern will be 
fastened securely, but it can be unscrewed 
and removed when necessary to gain access 
to the lamp. 

A Small Bulb of the shape of Fig. 637 
may slip through the jar neck. If you can¬ 
not get one that will fit, buy a slim straight¬ 
sided candelabra bulb. Take the jar to an 
electrical dealer and ask him to give you a 
bulb that will fit it. 

The Flasher may be of the form shown in 
Fig. 638, made to screw into the lamp recep¬ 
tacle, or into the plug receptacle, or it may 
be of button form made to drop into the 
receptacle. 


355 








Figs. 633 and 
634. —Screw Lamp 
Receptacle to Top 
Block of Tower 
Framework. 

Fig. 635. —Mus¬ 
tard-Jar Lantern. 

Fig. 636. — Cut 
Mustard-Jar 
Screw-Cap to Fit 
over Lamp Recep¬ 
tacle. 

Fig. 637.—Lan¬ 
tern Lamp. 

Fig. 638. —Sign- 
Flasher for Flash¬ 
ing Beacon. 
















356 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Outside Plastering 

of the tower and base may be of plaster-of-Paris, or cement 
and sand. Plaster-of-Paris is easier to get in small quan¬ 
tity. Paint stores carry it. Mix it with water, a little at 
a time. It sets rapidly, but you can delay the setting by 
adding one part of a saturated solution of borax to twelve 
parts of the water with which you mix the plaster. If you 
use cement, mix it with sand in the proportions of one part 
cement to two parts sand. 

The base basket has large mesh, and the plaster or ce¬ 
ment will not hold on the wires without additional support. 
Line the inside of the basket with cardboard. Sew the 
cardboard to the wires. You can remove it after the cement 
has set. The smaller mesh of the tower walls will not re¬ 
quire the lining. 

Apply plaster-of-Paris in one coat, cement in two coats. 
When the plaster has hardened, mark off a doorway at the 
base of the tower, and several windows above it, and scrape 
away the plaster inside of the marks. You can scrape away 
the plaster to the wire framework, or scrape it to a depth 
of Ys inch. 


Finish the Tower 

by smoothing off rough places in the plaster with sand¬ 
paper. Paint the bridge and railing, the door, and the 
window recesses, black. 


/ 



What are you doing with that toy electric motor that 
you received last Christmas? Does it still come in for 
some of your attention, have you a genius for inventing 
new ways to use it, or have you lost interest in it? The 
photographs in Figs. 625 and 626, in Chapter XXXVIII, 
show a toy shooting-gallery with motor-driven targets that 
I designed and built to demonstrate an adaptation of the 
toy motor to a home-made toy. The idea may enable you 
to adjust your thinking-cap so that other interesting 
schemes will pop into your head. 

You will have hours of fun with the toy shooting-gallery, 
the boys will become more frequent visitors to your home, 
and Dad will welcome a chance to match his skill with 
yours. 

The photographs in Figs. 625 and 626, and the cross- 
section in Fig. 639 show 

How It Works 

The rabbit targets are hinged to fall back when hit, and 
they right themselves automatically when the wheel upon 
which they are mounted makes a quarter revolution. 

357 





















































































358 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Base of the Shooting-Gallery 
is made of a grocery box. The box used for the model 
measures 9% inches deep, 10 inches wide, and 15 inches 
long, which is quite large enough to house pulley, motor, 
and battery cells, or transformer. You may place the trans¬ 
former inside the box. It was hooked up outside for the 
photographs, so that it might not conceal the motor. 


The Power Plant 

may be any type of toy motor. If its speed is geared down 
like most motors of steel construction toys, one 7-inch pul- 
























































A TOY ELECTRIC SHOOTING-GALLERY 359 

ley-wheel mounted upon the target disk shaft and belted to 
the motor pulley (A, Fig. 639) will reduce the motor’s speed 
sufficiently, but if the motor is without gearing, you will 
have to rig up additional pulleys. 


Making a Wooden Pulley 

is easy. Describe the correct diameter upon a board, saw 
out the wheel with a coping-saw, and true up the rim with 
a file and sandpaper. It is important to cut accurately. 
Cut the rim groove of uniform depth with a rat-tail file. 


Mounting the Wheel 

Bore a %-inch hole through the center of wooden pulley 
A for shaft B (Figs. 639 and 640). Use a %-inch dowel- 
stick or a stick whittled to this diameter for the shaft, and 
from a piece of l-by-2 cut the two bearing-blocks C, of 
the right length to fit in the width of the box. Bore the 
shaft-hole through the center of the length of each block. 
Fasten the bearing-blocks between the box sides, 4 inches 
below the upper end, one block against the box bottom, the 
other one 4 inches away from it. It is important to mount 
the blocks on the same level, so that their shaft-holes will 
be opposite. Bore the shaft-hole through the box bottom, 
also. Fasten the pulley to the shaft with a brad (Fig. 
640). 


Belt the Pulley to the Motor Pulley 
with a piece of hard wrapping-twine. Join the twine ends 


360 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


with a small, firm knot, or cement them with the kind of 
cement used in model airplane construction. 

Mount the Motor 

upon a block of wood a trifle larger than the metal base, 
then screw one end of the block to the lower end of the box. 
Do not drive the screw home. Make the string pulley-belt 
tight enough to lift the unfastened end of the motor a trifle. 
Then the weight of the motor on the belt will take up the 
slack that will result from slight variations in the diameter 
of the home-made wheel and its groove. 

Make the Target Disk 

11 inches in diameter (E, Figs. 639 and 641), out of a 12- 
inch board. Spool F serves as a bearing. Nail it to the 
disk and drive a screw through it, for a set-screw, jto fasten 
the disk to shaft B. 

The Rabbit Targets 

are shown in the large target detail (Fig. 641). A pattern 
marked off into squares is shown in Fig. 642. Draw a 
similar number of squares, with the lines spaced % inch 
apart, then 

Draw the Rabbit Outline upon the squares, exactly as it 
appears upon the diagram squares. Make a tracing of the 
enlarged drawing, and transfer it five times upon cardboard. 
Go over the outlines with ink, color some brown and some 
black, and cut a trifle outside of the lines. 

Mount the Targets with 1-inch hinges (H, Fig. 643). 


A TOY ELECTRIC SHOOTING-GALLERY 



361 


Fig. 641.— Detail of Target Disk. 

Fig. 642.— Pattern for Rabbit Target. 

Figs. 643 and 644.— Details of Target Mounting. 
















































































362 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS^ HOBBIES 


Select hinges that open and close easily. Separate the plies 
of cardboard along the belly of each rabbit target, as shown 
in Fig. 643, to admit one flap of a hinge, and rivet together 
the cardboard and hinges, with small copper rivets or tacks 
driven through and clinched (Fig. 644). 

Divide the circumference of the target disk into six parts, 
and screw the hinges to the rim at these points. By placing 
the hinges so that their pins rest upon the rim of the disk, 
the ease with which the targets drop when hit can be regu¬ 
lated by tightening or loosening the screws which hold the 
hinges to the rim. This is important, because if the screws 
are too loose, the targets will not stand up, and if they are 
too tight, the targets will not drop when hit. 

Cut Score Numbers from a calendar, and paste them 
upon the targets as shown. Numbers 2, 4, 5, 10, 15, and 
25 are a good selection of numbers to use. There should 
be one bad-luck target. Whoever hits this target should 
lose the number of points that it designates. If your cal¬ 
endar has Sunday or holiday dates in red, use one of the red 
figures for the bad-luck target. 

The Bean-Blower Shooter 

is shown in the photographs and in Fig. 639. If bean- 
blowers are not in season when you build the shooting- 
gallery, use a hollow curtain-rod of the same diameter. 
Mount the bean-blower in a hole bored through a wooden 
block (J, Fig. 639), and pivot the block to the shooting- 
gallery base with a pair of hinges (K). The dotted lines 
in Fig. 639 indicate how block J must be tilted to give the 


A TOY ELECTRIC SHOOTING-GALLERY 363 

bean-blower the correct inclination to hit the targets. This 
will give you the range. You must time your blows so 
that the beans will hit the targets as they pass. You can 
substitute a sling-shot or an air-rifle for the bean-blower 
shooter, to make the shooting more difficult, and shoot from 
a mark several yards in front of the targets. 

Finishing 

When you have assembled the toy shooting-gallery, and 
adjusted its parts so that they work properly, take it down 
and finish it with paint. Bright colors are best for the job. 
Trees and shrubbery are mounted upon the base top of my 
shooting-gallery model, to make a good setting for the rac¬ 
ing rabbits. Use pieces of sponge, stained with green paint. 
Glue them in place. 

Rules for Shooting and Scoring 
You may make your own rules for shooting and scoring, 
but I suggest that you allow each contestant five shots each 
turn, and that the winning score be 150 points. 




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o 



CHAPTER XL 

A MODEL STATION FOR 
AN ELECTRIC RAIL¬ 
ROAD 



Your railroad equipment may include a station, but one 
is hardly enough for even a short line. Then there is that 
younger brother who may have a line of his own, and that 
cousin for whom you will soon need a gift for Christmas. 
The home-made suburban type of depot shown in Fig. 645, 
and described in this chapter, should answer the require- 



Fig. 645.—Completed Station and Platform for Electric Railroad. 

ments of your own railroad or your brother's or cousin’s, 
and you will find it easy to build. 

It Requires a Box 

about 11 inches long, 7 inches wide, and 5 inches deep, for 

364 






























































































A MODEL STATION FOR AN ELECTRIC RAILROAD 365 

walls; two boards about 18 inches long and 5^ inches wide 
for the roof; corrugated strawboard for imitation roofing- 
tile, and a board about 12 inches wide and 18 inches long 
for the platform. A wooden starch-box approximates the 
dimensions given 
above. If you do 
not find one at 
home, your grocer 
will have a box that 
will do. If it is a 
trifle large, it will 
not matter. If it is 
much too large, cut 
it down. 


Cut the Doors and 
Windows 

in the box sides and ends, as shown in Fig. 647. Mark them 
with a ruler and pencil, then cut them with a coping-saw 
or a keyhole-saw. To admit the saw for cutting window- 
openings, bore small holes in the comers of the spaces 
marked out, then saw from corner to corner, as shown. You 
can save time by painting openings instead of cutting them, 
but cut openings look better, and you can improve them by 
hanging doors in the doorways and setting glass in the win¬ 
dow-openings. 




STRAWBOARD 

BOARD-ROOR 
GABLE END 


,CmMN£Y 

/ .. . _ 



PLATFORM 


Fig. 646.— ^End Elevation of 
Station and Platform. 


Two Gable Ends 

are required to support the roof (Figs. 648 and 649). Make 















366 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


them 2 inches high by a width equal to the width of the 
roof. Be careful to cut them alike. Nail them to the box 
bottom at the ends, as shown in Fig. 648. 




Figs. 648 and 649.—Gable Ends. 

Fig. 650.— Gable-End and Post Supports for Platform Roof.' 
Fig. 651. — Chimney Block. 









































































A MODEL STATION FOR AN ELECTRIC RAILROAD 367 


Cut Two Roof-Boards 

of the right width to project 1% inches over the side walls, 
and of the right length to project 1% inches over one gable 
end and 6 inches over the other end. Whittle or plane off 
the upper edges to make them come together at the ridge, 
as shown in Fig. 646. 

Mount the Depot Upon Its Platform 
so that about 1 inch of the board projects along one side and 
end. Nail the walls to the platform. Prepare a third 
gable end to fit under the overhanging roof (Fig. 650), and 
cut two square sticks for posts to fit between the gable end 
and platform. 


Cut a Chimney 

like that in Fig. 651, with lower end notched to fit over 
the roof rjdge, and nail it to the roof. 

Tile the Roof 

with two pieces of corrugated strawboard. Cut them to 
fit the roof-boards with a slight overhang upon all sides, 
and glue and tack them in place. 

Trim the Door and Window Openings 
with narrow strips of cigar-box wood or other thin wood, as 
shown in Fig. 645. Fasten the strips with glue and brads. 

Paint the Station 

with yellow or green walls, red or green roof, red chimney. 


368 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


and red or brown platform. Letter the name of the town 
upon each gable. 

Build a Freight-House 

similar to the station, but omit the covered platform, and 
provide a large doorway in the center of the front. 

Build a Power-House 

for the electric transformer or dry cells; or hinge or peg 
the station to its platform, and use it to conceal the power- 
plant. 










CHAPTER XLI 
A BEAN-BLOW-GUN 



Here is an interesting home-made gun designed to shoot 
beans at a target. It looks like a real gun, as you will see 
by the photograph of Eig. 652. Its barrel is built upon 
a tin bean-blower, which provides a smooth bore for the 
bean ammunition. The rubber-tubing extension, through 
which you blow, makes it possible to keep your eyes on the 
sights while you discharge the gun. You drop the beans 
into a magazine instead of feeding them into the tube with 
your mouth, as you would load a bean-blower. This keeps 
the beans dry, and they do not swell and clog the barrel. 



Fig. 656 shows a detail of the completed bean-blow-gun, 

with its parts lettered. First, prepare 

369 










































































































370 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Stock 

by the pattern of Fig. 657. The squares on the pattern 
represent spaces % inch long and % inch wide upon the 
full-size pattern. To make your pattern, draw eighteen 
horizontal lines and six vertical lines upon a piece of board 

2% inches wide and 8% inches long, 
then locate the curves and straight 
lines in the relative positions shown 
upon the small squares. 

When you have laid out the stock, 
saw it out, round the edges with a 
plane or file, and smooth all sur¬ 
faces with sandpaper. 



Fig. 657.—Pattern for 
Laying Out Stock. 


The Barrel 

If it is out of season for bean- 
blowers when you want to make the 
bean-blow-gun, use any metal tub¬ 
ing of %,-inch diameter. You can 
find a hollow curtain-rod of the 
right size. The tube should measure 
14 inches long. To prepare it for the 
gun, cut a hole in its side, 2 inches 
from one end, large enough for a 
bean to drop through (Fig. 658). 
Drive a dowel-stick, or a stick 
whittled to the right diameter, into 
the end of the tube, to support the 
tin, and cut the hole with a file. 





































Fia. 65 2 .—The Bean-Blow-Gun 
Shoots Straight to the Bull’s-Eye. 


Fig. 65.3.—The Feeding-Hens Toy 
I s Worked by a Pendulum. (See 
Chapter XLII.) 


Fig. 654.—The Air-Spinner Zooms 
TO Great Heights. (See Chapter 
XLIII.) 


Fig. 655.—The Vibrating Platform 
Makes the Puppet Dance. (See 
Chapter XLIV.) 














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A BEAN-BLOW-GUN 


371 


Cut the Rubber-Tubing Extension of the length shown 
in Fig. 659. 



Fig. 658.—Bean-Blower Barrel. 

Fig. 659.—Rubber-Tubing Extension. 

Fig. 660.—Spool Casing for Barrel. 

Fig. 661.—Spool Sliding-Sleeve. 

Figs. 662-666.—Details of Metal Straps and Sights. 

Figs. 667 and 668. —Details of Trigger and Trigger-Guard. 

Encase the Bean-Blower from the muzzle to the stock, 
with spools of equal size (Fig. 660). Whittle off the flanges 
of five spools (D), whittle off one flange of a sixth spool 
(E), and leave both flanges on a seventh spool (F). Coat 
the spools with glue or cement, slip them over the end of 
the bean-blower, push them close together, and hold until 
the glue or cement has set. 


The Sliding Sleeve 

built up of three spools (G and H, Figs. 656 and 661), fits 
over the barrel next to spool F. Glue these spools end to 
end, but do not glue them to the bean-blower, because the 
sleeve must slide to open and close the opening between 















372 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


the magazine and the firing chamber. Fasten half-spool I 
(Figs. 656 and 662) to the bean-blower % inch from spool 
H (Fig. 656). That should leave inch at the end of the 
tube, to glue to the rubber-tubing extension. Cut a hole 
through spool H in the proper place so it will come directly 
over the hole in tube B when you slide the sleeve against 
spool I. 


The Assembly 

Assemble the barrel and stock, using straps J and K (Fig. 
656) to bind them together. Cut the straps from a tin can, 
strap J of the size shown in Fig. 663, and strap K of the 
size shown in Fig. 664. Fold strap K in the middle, and 
twist the folded end into a tip like that shown in Fig. 662, 
for 

The Rear Sight. Punch a small hole through the tip for 
a peep-sight. Tack or screw the tin straps to spools F and 
I (Figs. 660 and 661), bend their lower ends around the 
stock, and tack them to the stock. 

For the Front Sight fold double a piece of tin of the size 
of L (Fig. 666), and drive it into a notch cut in the spool 
at the barrel muzzle. 

Make a Trigger of a screw-hook bent into the shape of 
M (Fig. 667), and make a trigger guard of a plumber^s pipe- 
strap, or a strip of tin bent into the shape of N, and 
punched for screws. Fig. 668 shows the size to cut the 
strip. 

Glue or cement the rubber tubing to the end of the bean- 
blower. 


A BEAN-BLOW-GUN 


373 


Finishing 

You will want to finish the bean-blow-gun. Stain the 
wood walnut color, then wax it, and paint the metal bands 
and sights black. 

How THE Gun Works 

You will see by the diagrams how, when you close the 
chamber, by sliding the sleeve over to the positions shown 
in Fig. 656, and drop a bean into the magazine hole in 
sleeve-spool H, the bean rests on top of the bean-blower 
B, and how, when you open the chamber, by sliding the 
sleeve back, the bean drops into the bean-blower. Having 
dropped the bean into the firing-chamber, push the sleeve 
forward, then discharge the bean by blowing into the end of 
rubber tubing C. 



This pendulum toy, shown in the photograph of Fig. 
653, in the preceding chapter, is a simple mechanical toy 
invented by a foreign toy-maker. To operate it, you hold 
the handle attached to the platform on which the five hens 
are mounted, and give the toy a slight rotary motion to 
cause the pendulum to swing in a circle. As the pendulum 
swings, the hens lower their heads, then raise them, simu¬ 
lating feeding. Cords from the pendulum run to tacks in 
the neck ends, and when these are taut, the heads are held 
erect as in Fig. 669, and when they are slack, the heads 
drop, as in Fig. 670. 

The Five Hens 

Cut blocks of the dimensions of A (Fig. 671), for 
The Bodies, and slot one end to receive the neck, the 
other end to receive the tail. Then shape them into the 
form shown in Fig. 672, with your jack-knife, a file, and 
sandpaper. Drill two small holes in which to stick 

The Legs. Whittle pegs 1 inch long and % inch square 
for these, coat the ends with glue, and drive them into the 
holes drilled in the body. 


374 







































































THE FEEDING-HENS TOY 375 

The Head and Neck and the Tail (B and C, Fig. 673) 
may be cut out of cigar-box wood. Make a set of squares 
similar to those of the patterns, with the lines ruled i/4 inch 
apart, and locate upon them the curves and straight lines 



THREAD 


’^THREAD 



Figs. 669 and 670.—Hens for the Toy Shown in the Photograph of 
Fig. 653 (opposite Page 370). 

Fig. 671.—Body-Block Before Shaping. 

Fig. 672.—Body-Block After Shaping. 

Fig. 673.—Patterns for Head, Neck, and Tail. 


of the patterns. Cut out the enlarged patterns, and use 
them to mark around on pieces of a cigar-box. Saw out 
the pieces with a coping-saw, or cut them with your knife. 







































376 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS' HOBBIES 


Drill a small hole through the neck for a brad pivot, and 
drive a tack in the end, for attaching the pendulum cord. 

When you have prepared the parts, pivot the neck in its 
slot in the body, and glue the tail in its slot. Drive the 
brad pivot in the right position to run through the hole in 
the neck. 

The Feeding Platform 

Cut the platform from a box board. Fig. 674 shows a 
plan. Describe the circle for the outer edge, then a circle 
with a radius of 2% inches, on which to locate holes for the 



hens’ legs, and an inner circle with a radius of 1% inches on 
which to locate holes for the pendulum cords. Divide the 
inner circle into five equal parts, and each division point 
will be a center for a %6 inch hole. Draw radial lines from 
the center through the points, and locate holes for the hens’ 
legs % inch to each side of these lines. 







THE FEEDING-HENS TOY 


377 


The Handle is a piece of heavy wire bent into a loop (E, 
Figs. 674 and 675). Drill holes in the edge of the platform, 
and drive the wire ends into them. 

The Pendulum 

A spinning top makes the best-looking pendulum (Fig. 



Fig. 675.—Detail of Wire Handle. 
Fig. 676.—Detail of Spool Pendulum. 


675), but a spool like that in Fig. 676 is the simplest rig. 




















378 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Use a large spool unless you want to weight it by pouring 
its hole full of lead. 


The Assembly 

To mount the hens, coat the leg-ends with glue, and stick 
them into the holes in the platform. Then tie heavy linen 
thread or light-weight wrapping-twine to the tacks in the 
neck ends, for the pendulum cords, run the cords through 
the holes in the platform, through the hole of the spool 
pendulum, and knot them. Make the distance between the 
pendulum and the platform about 5 inches. 

Finish the Toy 

as you like, with paint, stain, enamel, or lacquer. Bright 
colors are best. Indicate poultry feed upon the center of 
the platform by small daubs of yellow paint. 



You can make the air-spinner rise perpendicularly, or 
spiral to the right or to the left, according to how you ad¬ 
just its tips. It zooms until the spinning momentum has 
been expended, often to a surprising height, then slips back 
to earth. 



Fig. 654 (opposite Page 370). 

The completed toy and its spinning device are shown in 

379 





















































































380 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 

the photograph of Fig. 654, opposite page 370, and in 
Fig. 677 of the working diagrams. 


For Materials 

get a large thread-spool (Fig. 678), a pair of phonograph 
needles (Fig. 679), a common nail 1 inch longer than the 
spool (Fig. 680), a broom-handle end 4 inches long 



Figs. 678 and 679.—Spool and 
Phonograph Needles for 
Launching Device. 

Fig. 680.—Nail Pivot for Spool. 
Fig. 681.—Broom-Handle End 
for Handle. 


(Fig. 681), and a piece of tin 
cut from the side of a tin can. 

The Spinning Device 
is assembled as indicated in 
Figs. 678 to 681. Drive the 
phonograph needles part way 
into the spool end, with a 
spacing from center to center 
of exactly % inch. Drill a 
hole in the end of the broom- 
handle, a trifle smaller than 
the nail, slip the nail through 
the spool, and drive it into 
the drilled hole. Trim the 
top edge of the spool-hole so 
that you can countersink the 
nail head. 

The Spinner 

is a piece of tin of the shape 
and size of the pattern in 


















AN AIR-SPINNER 


381 


Fig. 682. Make a tracing of the pattern, transfer it upon 
the piece of tin, cut out with a pair of tinsnips or old scis¬ 
sors, and drill the center holes a trifle larger than the 
needles. 

When you have cut and drilled the spinner, bend down 
the tips as indicated in Fig. 682, then bend the spinner 
slightly at the center, so the straight edges will slant up 
from the center to the tips. 



To Launch the Air-Spinner 
place it upon the spinning device as shown in Fig. 677. Use 
cotton wrapping-twine for the spinning-cord. Wind it 
around the spool as you would wind the string upon a 
spinning-top. Tie a match or brad to the end for a grip, 
and pull with the right hand, while you hold the handle 
with the left hand. 





Instead of manipulating the feet of this puppet with 
strings, as you control the feet of the puppets in the fol¬ 
lowing chapter, you make them dance by vibrating the 
dancing-platform with your fingers. The method is indi¬ 
cated by the photograph in Fig. 655, opposite page 370. 
Light tapping produces slow movements, fast, heavy tap¬ 
ping produces lively movements. With practice, you will 
become expert in handling the puppet, and can make it 
dance to the accompaniment of whistling, or music from 
the radio, phonograph, piano, and other instruments. This 
is a good toy for a Christmas gift for your younger brother 
or sister. But you will have as much fun playing with it as 
he or she will. 

T^e Puppet 

is of simple construction, as you will see by the diagram in 
Fig. 683. 

Cut the Parts out of a box board % or % inch thick. 
You will find a coping-saw handy for the cutting, with a 
jack-knife and a file to finish the shaping of the hands and 

feet, and sandpaper to smooth the surfaces. Follow the 

382 













































































A DANCING PUPPET 


383 




Fig. 683.—Puppet Shown in Photograph of Fig. 655 opposite Page 
370. 

Fig. 684.—Pattern for Body. 

Figs. 685 and 686.—Patterns for Arms and Hands. 

Figs. 687-689.—Patterns for Legs and Feet. 

Fig. 690.—Detail of Shoe. 

Figs. 691 and 692.—Details of Neck. 

Fig. 693.—Rubber-Ball Head. 



























































384 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


pattern of Fig. 684 for the body block, Fig. 685 for the arm 
blocks, Fig. 686 for the hands. Fig. 687 for the upper portion 
of the legs. Fig. 688 for the lower portion of the legs, and 
Fig. 689 for the feet. Shape the toe of the shoes as shown 
in Fig. 690. 

Assemble the Parts with heavy linen thread or cotton 
wrapping-twine. Drive tacks into the parts where you are 
to attach strings. The diagrams show the use of double- 
pointed tacks, but any kind with heads large enough to 
hold the strings will do. Tie the strings so that there wdll 
be enough length between the tacks to make the joints work 
freely. 

Bore a y 2 -mch. hole % inch deep in the body (Figs. 683 
and 691) to receive 

The Neck, a piece of %-inch dowel-stick or stick whittled 
to this diameter, 3% inches long (Fig. 692). Drill a %6- 
inch hole through the stick near one end, slip this end into 
the body, and pivot with a brad. 

The Head is a rubber ball (Fig. 693). Cut a hole in the 
ball, push the neck-stick through the hole as far as the op¬ 
posite side of the ball, and screw a small screw-eye through 
the ball into the end of the stick. Drill a hole in the neck- 
stick so that the screw will drive in without splitting the 
stick. 

Finish the Puppet 

with lacquer or enamel colors. It is easiest to finish the 
parts before assembling them. I used black for the head, 
hands, and feet of my model, red for the coat, green for the 


A DANCING PUPPET 


385 


trousers legs, and yellow for the stockings, then I drove tiny 
round-headed brass tacks into the coat for buttons, and 
made a collar of white paper, as shown by the photograph 
in Fig. 655. When the painted head had dried, I added 
eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, with white paint, then, when 
the white paint had dried, I drove round-headed brass nails 
through the eyes for pupils. 

The Dancing-Platform 

Use a shingle, or other thin piece of wood, or a piece of 
cardboard, for the platform. E;est one end of the platform 
upon a chair, and sit upon it to hold it, as shown by the 
photograph in Fig. 655. 

To Manipulate the Puppet 
Tie a string or thread to the head screw-eye, to slip over 
the second finger of your left hand. Tie another string to 
each wrist of the puppet, and make loops in the ends, one 
to slip over your little finger, the other over your thumb. 
With the puppet thus supported by the left hand, use your 
right hand to vibrate the dancing-platform. 



IJ-I 




ikii 


M 


CHAPTER XLV 
A PUPPET THEATER 



This might be a moving-picture theater as well as a pup¬ 
pet theater, if you or your chum should own a projector. 
A reel of pictures thrown upon the screen, while puppet 
scenery is being shifted, helps to sustain interest. I well 
remember the difficulty we boys used to have in preventing 
audiences from going back stage, or going home, during the 
long interval between acts. But that was before the ad¬ 
vent of moving pictures. You fellows are lucky to be boys 
in this day and age. 

There has been a revival of interest in puppet shows, of 
late, and a good show fills the house to capacity. Grown 
folks enjoy the shows as much as children do. But all the 
fun is not confined to the audience. Indeed, it is even more 
fun to make and operate the puppets. So, in this chapter, 
I shall give you suggestions for building a theater, making 
scenery, and preparing and operating puppets, and if you 
can interest two or three of your friends in taking up se¬ 
riously the development of puppet shows this fall and 
winter, I promise that you will find the work a most de¬ 
lightful hobby. 


386 








































































A PUPPET THEATER 


387 


First, build the theater. This should be portable, for 
no doubt you will want to exhibit at different places. 


The Doorway Theater 

shown in Fig. 694 is of the right type for a portable thea¬ 
ter. Since I first published the following plans and sug¬ 
gestions for building the theater, in my department in 



Fig. 694. — ^A Doorway Theater is 
Easy to Set Up. 



‘‘Child Life,” the idea has received the indorsement of 
Tony Sarg, illustrator, cartoonist, and exponent of puppet 






























































































































































388 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


shows, who has won an international reputation for creat¬ 
ing the most remarkable puppets in existence. 

If you can set up the theater in a doorway, as shown, you 
will be saved the trouble of hanging curtains either side of 
it, to conceal what the audience should not see, including 
the operators, called the puppeteers. But if no doorway is 
available, you must resort to hangings. 


The Stage 

of the doorway theater should be a card-table, or other 
small table, with a top about 28 inches square. Stand this 
in the doorway, as shown in Fig. 695. Then build the front 
of the stage, known as 


The Proscenium 

Build a frame of four laths or lattice strips, crossed as 

shown in Fig. 696, and 
cover the frame with 
a piece of wallboard. 
Saw out the center of 
the wallboard, to form 
an arched opening. 
Make the width of the 
opening the same as 
the width of the table, 
and the height 18 
inches. Fasten loops 
of string to tacks driven into the top frame-strip, near the 
ends, as shown in Fig. 696, and drive brads or glass-headed 



Fig. 696.—Build the Proscenium of Laths 
and Wallboard. 



















































A PUPPET THEATER 


389 


push-pins into the door-casings to hang the loops on. 
From the front, the proscenium will appear as shown in 
Fig. 694. 

Paint the Proscenium with radiator bronze, or decorate 
it with gold or silver stripes cut from wallpaper, and fill in 
between the stripes with lacquer. 



The Stage Curtain 

is a window-shade of the right width to fit in brackets 
fastened to the door-jambs 
(Figs. 697-699). Possibly 
you will find an old shade 
in your storeroom. You 
can readily cut down one 
that is too wide, and if the 
material is torn too badly 
io patch, you can replace it 
with new shade-cloth or 
oilcloth. If you cannot 
find a shade or a roller at 
home, perhaps you can get 
one among the neighbors. 

Screw the shade-brackets 
to the door-jambs near the 
door head, then the shade 
will serve the double pur¬ 
pose of stage-curtain and 
screen for the puppeteers. 

_ _ . - T Figs. 697-699.—Window-Shade 

To Raise and Lower the stage Curtain and Fixtures. 










390 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Curtain, there must be strings. Screw two screw-eyes into 
the stick in the hem of the shade, one near each end, tie a 
piece of wrapping-twine to each screw-eye, and run the 
strings through small screw-eyes screwed into the door¬ 
jambs near the floor (Fig. 695), then around the stage table 
legs, and tie the ends. Draw the shade to within an inch or 
so of the proscenium opening, before tying the strings. 

A Proscenium Drop 

should be provided in addition to the curtain. Make this 

of velour or other drapery 
material, and drape it around 
the proscenium, as shown in 
Fig. 694. 

Stage-Settings 
Fig. 694 shows a simple 
setting, with one puppet on 
the stage. Fig. 700 shows the 
same setting, with the pup¬ 
peteer manipulating the 
strings that control the pup- 
pet^s movements. Sugges¬ 
tions for other settings will be 
found in Chapter XXIV of 
The Boy Craftsman.^’ 


Scenery and Properties - 
Fig. 700.—This is the Way the . n i 

Puppeteer Controls a Puppet. require cardboard, wrapping- 




























































A PUPPET THEATER 


391 


paper, blocks of wood, tacks and colored.crayons. Scenery 
includes the drops and wings of a stage-setting. Properties 
include the smaller parts of a setting—towers, houses, gar¬ 
den, walls, furniture, and vehicles. 

A Back Drop is shown in the diagram of Fig. 701. It is 
made of wrapping-paper. The upper two-thirds is colored 



Fig. 701.—Back-Drop Frame. 

Fig. 702.—Clump of Trees and Shrubbery for Wing. 

Fig. 703.—Tack Small Scenery to Wooden Blocks, Like This. 

Fig. 704.—Tower Built of Cartons, for Castle. 

Fig. 705.—Cottage and Garden-Wall Wing. 

blue for the sky, with white clouds. The lower one-third 
is made dark brown for ground. Sketch it out as shown, 
with a winding road at the center, or change the layout to 
suit your own ideas. Tack the drop to stick uprights, and 





















































BIG BOOK OF BOYS' HOBBIES 


,392 

fasten these back of the stage to the puppeteers’ platform, 
as shown in Fig. 700. 

If it were not for wings and properties, the audience 
would see through the open sides of the stage. Fig. 702 
shows a clump of 

Trees and Shrubbery. Draw this upon box cardboard, 
cut it out, color it with green crayon, and shade it with 
black. Tack it to a base-block, as shown in Fig. 703. 

A Tower for a scene including a castle is easy to make of 
two oatmeal cartons. Join the cartons end to end, as shown 
in Fig. 704. Notch the top carton to form the parapet bat¬ 
tlements, and make a cornice molding of several turns of 
string, coated with glue, and wound around the carton. Cut 
window-openings, or indicate them with paint. 

A Cottage and Garden Wall are shown in Fig. 705. Cut 
the window-openings and paste transparent paper over 
them. Then you can show light shining through the 
windows, in a night scene. 

The making and coloring of scenery and properties will 
be easy for you boys who have worked with crayons and 
colored papers. Probably most of you have used them at 
school. 


Puppets 

Small rag dolls make the best puppets for a puppet thea¬ 
ter, although a loose-join ted doll like the dancing puppet 
described in the preceding chapter, will do very well for 
clowning. Tony Sarg uses 

Rag Dolls With Altered Joints, like that shown in 


A PUPPET THEATER 


393 


Fig. 706. He opens the cloth at each joint, and removes 
some of the stuffing. Then he brings the cloth together 
and sews it. He does the same thing at the trunk, as indi- 



Fig. 706.—Rag Doll With Altered Joints, for Puppet. 

Fig. 707.—Thread Controls, and Sticks for Supporting Them. 


cated by dotted lines in Fig. 706. Then he sews a band of 
muslin around the waist. 

If you haven’t a sister from whom you can borrow dolls, 
small rag dolls are inexpensive enough to buy. Or, you can 
fasten small dolls’ heads to home-made rag bodies. Ask 





















394 BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 

Mother to help you shape them. The puppets require 
several 

Changes of Costume. You will be in luck if Mother or 
Sister will accept appointment to the position of wardrobe 
misftress. 

Use Paper Dolls, if you cannot obtain help in shaping 
rag dolls. You can mount them as suggested in Chapter 
XXIV of “The Boy Craftsman.’’ With characters from 
colored comics to select from, you have great possibilities 
for cardboard puppets. 

The Thread Controls for puppets are shown in Fig. 707. 
Use fine linen thread. Attach a piece 24 inches long to each 
leg of the puppet, at the knee, and tie the free ends to tacks 
driven into the ends of a short stick (A). Cross two other 
sticks (B and C), nail them together, and drive a tack into 
both ends of each. Tie threads to the puppet’s wrists, and 
join them to one of the tacks in crosspiece B. Fasten a 
thread to the back of the puppet, and join it to the second 
tack in crosspiece B. Fasten a thread to each ear, and tie 
the other ends to tacks in crosspiece C. A hole is shown in 
the center of stick A. This is provided so that the stick 
can be slipped over the nail in strip C, to combine the 
sticks. 


Operating the Puppets 

With the seven threads connected as shown, it is possible 
to put a puppet through any movements wanted, con¬ 
trolling the leg threads with the right hand, the other 
threads with the left hand. 


A PUPPET THEATER 


395 


Fig. 700 sHows a puppeteer putting a puppet through his 
movements. Grocery boxes of different heights make good 
platforms. 

The Stage Lighting 

Light the stage from the front and sides by floor lamps, 
or drop-cords, or both. It is easy to adjust these to get 
the desired effects. You can throw colored tissue-papers or 
silks over the lamps to produce colored lighting. Other 
suggestions for lighting will be found in “The Boy 
Craftsman.’^ 


Puppet Plays 

You wiU probably find a book of puppet plays in your 
local public library. Fairy tales are always popular, be¬ 
cause audiences are familiar with them. But after you have 
become expert in handling your puppets, you will have lit¬ 
tle difficulty in devising puppet scenarios of your own. A 
thrilling aviation story, or detective story can be built up 
from the day^s news, or from a current magazine, and wiU 
“go across big.” You will enjoy working up something 
along modern lines. 



Some boys whom I know make games their hobby. They 
have done so for several years. Both indoor and outdoor 
games are on their program. They plan games a season 
ahead, decide who is to play whom, and what and when, 
and play off this schedule in tournament style. Each boy 
of the group is more or less expert in his favorite games, 
but the best of calculations are often upset, and no one can 
predict who will be the season’s champion of this game se¬ 
ries, or of that, or who will be the all-round champion. As 
you may imagine, the boys get lots of fun out of their 
game tournaments. 

If the game-tournament idea appeals to the boys in your 
hobby club, you will be interested in home-made equip¬ 
ment. There is little room, in this book of many hobbies, 
to devote to the subject, but you will find the following 
suggestions to your liking, I am sure, and you may supple¬ 
ment them with ideas from my book Home-made Games 
and Game Equipment,” which you will find in your public 
library. The book contains suggestions, also, for conduct¬ 
ing game tournaments, and for making prize cups, medals, 
score indicators, and score books. 

396 






































































GAME EQUIPMENT 


397 


Table Tennis 

Brought out as a fad when your Dad was a boy, table 
tennis has survived the fad period, and has established it¬ 
self as one of our standard indoor games. Indeed, its popu¬ 
larity is greater now than ever before. Everybody enjoys 
it, and everybody can play it. It has the fascination of 
lawn tennis, but it is not as strenuous a game. 

You can easily make every part of a table tennis outfit, 
except the balls. 

The Court may be laid out upon a large library table 
(Fig. 708), or a dining table extended. If neither is availa¬ 
ble, buy a piece of wallboard 4 feet wide and 8 feet long, 



Fig. 708.—The Tennis-Court Can Be Laid Out Upon a Large Table, 
or Upon a Frame Covered With Wallboard. 


and tack it to a frame made of l-by-2 stock. Support the 
frame upon small tables, chair backs, boxes, or a pair of 
horses. 

Marking Out the Court. You can mark out the court 
upon a table without injuring the finish, by use of a chalk 
line. Take a length of cotton line, and chalk it from end 














398 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


to end. Give your partner one end of the string to hold, 
while you hold the other end. Lower the string to the sur¬ 
face of the table, at a point where you wish to mark a line, 
and while it is pulled taut, grasp it at its center, raise it 1 
inch or so, and let it snap back to the surface. This will 
make a straight well-defined line that you can easily wash 











Fig. 709. — Layout for Table Tennis-Court. 
Fig. 710.—Tennis Net and Post. 

Fig. 711.—Detail of Wire Post. 






























GAME EQUIPMENT 399 

off, when you are done playing. Fig. 709 suggests the lay¬ 
out of a table court. 

A Wallboard Court may be marked off with crayon or 
with strips of gummed tape. 

Make the Tennis Net of a strip of curtain net, mar¬ 
quisette, or other material. Bind the upper edge, and the 
lower edge, if need be, with tape, and cut the tape ends long 
enough to tie to the posts (Fig. 710). 

The Tennis-net Posts. Figs. 710 and 711 are details of a 
tennis-net post. Make a pair of this type out of No. 8 wire, 
with the base 
shaped to grip 
the edge of the 
table with a snug 
fit. Fold pieces 
of blotter or card¬ 
board over the 
table edges to 
keep the wire 
from marring the 
surface. 

Make Tennis 
Rackets like that 
shown in Fig. 

712. You may 
saw them out of 
box boards % 
inch thick, but plywood is better, if you can get it, because 
it does not split or warp. You can reinforce box-board 


-, 2 ” --^ 






Fig. 712.—Tennis-Racket. 

Fig. 713.—Diagram for Racket. 














400 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


rackets by gluing muslin over both surfaces. Mark out the 
rackets as shown in Fig. 713. When you have cut them, 
and smoothed their surfaces, finish with lacquer or wood 
stain. 

Table Tennis Balls are of celluloid. You can substitute 
small rubber balls, but they are not nearly so good because 
of their weight. You can purchase celluloid balls wherever 
games are sold, and they are inexpensive. 

Rules for Table Tennis are similar to those for the out¬ 
door game, but you may make such changes in the regula¬ 
tions as your table court suggests. 

A Ring-toss Target 

The big, brightly painted target shown in the photograph 
of Fig. 714 will be enjoyed by all the family, and espe¬ 
cially by you, whose hands and eyes have been trained for 
straight tossing, by basket ball and other games. It will 
be a good investment of time to make the target, because 
you will use it the year round, indoors on winter evenings, 
and upon the lawn in summer. 

Make the Target of a piece of wallboard 32 inches 
square. If a carpenter in the neighborhood hasnT a piece 
of the right size, you may have to buy a full-size sheet at 
the lumber yard, but whatever is left over will be useful for 
other models. The diameter of the target may be less, how¬ 
ever, to suit a smaller piece of wallboard. 

The Target Face is shown in the diagram of Fig. 718, 
with the radii for the bull’s-eye and outer disks. Use a 
string with a brad or pin at one end for a center, and a 



Fig. 715.—The Board for Checkers and Solitaire Is of Convenip;nt Size 

FOR Traveling. 



Fig. 714.—This Ring-Toss Target Will Be Used Indoors in Winter, and on 

THE Lawn in Summer. 



Fig. 716.—The Quiz Clock Will Furnish Hours of Fun. 

(See Chapter XLVII.) 

Fig. 717.—The Quiz Is Conducted by Means of the “ Question ” and 

“Answer” Knobs. 











GAME EQUIPMENT 


401 


pencil slipped through a loop, at the other end, to describe 
three circles. Then locate centers for the outer disks, along 
the second circle, by means of a vertical line, a horizontal 
line, and two 45-degree lines, drawn through the center of 
the circle. 



Fig. 718. —Diagram for Laying Out the Target Face. 

Fig. 719.—Cross-Section of Target and Easel. 

Fig. 720.—Detail of Easel. 

Fig. 721. —Detail of Screw-Hook Pin. 

Fig. 722. —Detail of Target Shoe Block. 

Make the Easel of two pieces of lath or lattice strip (B 
and C, Figs. 719 and 720). Cut strip B, 30 inches long, and 
strip C, 26 inches long. Hinge the upper ends of the strips. 
Rivet the hinge flaps to the stick-ends as shown in Fig. 720. 
Rivet or screw strip B to the back of the target, along the 
center. Attach a check-chain of brass chain or strong cord 
to brass screw-eyes screwed into strips B and C, and the 





















402 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


easel will be complete, with the exception of the shoe (F, 
Figs. 718 and 719), for the target foot. Cut the shoe block, 
of the dimensions given in Fig. 722, slot its upper edge to 
receive the edge of the target, and glue and nail the block 
to the target. 

Paint the Target with three coats of red enamel. Allow 
plenty of time for drying between applications. The 
enamel will conceal the target rings, but you can locate the 
centers quickly and redraw the circles. Trace the score 
numbers from a large calendar, or block them out with ruler 
or pencil. Center the numbers upon the disks. By the 
photograph in Fig. 714 you will see that the bulFs-eye is 
marked 25,” the outer disks 5 ” and 10.” Outline the 
numbers with lead pencil, then fill in around the bulhs-eye 
number with radiator bronze, and around the outer disk 
numbers with black enamel. That will leave the numbers 
red. 

The Target-pins (G, Fig. 719) are brass hooks 3 inches 
long (Fig. 721). There are nine of them. Screw three 
hooks through the center, top, and bottom disks, into easel- 
strip B, and screw the other six hooks through the wall- 
board into small wooden blocks, like H in Fig. 721. Glue 
the blocks to the target back. 

For Tossing-rings, use five preserve-jar rubbers. 

Rules for Tossing and Scoring 

Let the size of the room in which you use the target 
determine 

The Tossing-line. Make handicap allowances to small 


GAME EQUIPMENT 403 

players. One good plan is to establish a close-up line, from 
which all players shall start, and then move the line back 
12 inches or more after each ringer, until the end of the 
room has been reached. 

To Count the Score, count for ringers the number of 
points indicated upon the bull’s-eye and disks. Also, count 
points for rings that rest upon the disks at the end of a 
turn, as follows: 5 points for a ring that rests upon the 
bull’s-eye, two points for a ring that rests upon a number 
10 disk, and one point for a ring that rests upon a num¬ 
ber 5 disk. Establish fifty or one hundred points as the 
game. 


A Checker-solitaire Board 

The photograph in Fig. 715 shows a small board of con¬ 
venient size to pack in your trunk or suit-case when travel¬ 
ing, and large enough for home games. Little bags with 
draw-strings are fastened to the corners of the board, to 
hold the checker men and the solitaire pegs, when they are 
not in use. 

Make the Board of %-inch or %-inch stock. Square up 
the block, plane the surfaces smooth, and plane a small 
bevel upon the edges. Then rub down with sandpaper. 

To Lay Out the Playing Surface, measure off eight divi¬ 
sions of % inch along each edge, and connect opposite 
points with straight lines. The line intersections will be 
the centers for holes for the solitaire pegs, except three at 
each corner (Fig. 723). 

Bore the Peg Holes at the thirty-seven intersections with 


404 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


a %-inch bit, to a depth of % inch. Make holes with the 
point of a nail, for the point of the bit to start in. 

When you have bored the peg holes, bevel their tops 
slightly with a countersink bit, or with your knife, and give 
all surfaces a final rubbing with sandpaper. 

Finish the Board with lacquer or enamel. Lacquer is 
easy to apply on a small surface like the board, and its 




Fig. 723. — Diagram for Checker-Solitaire Board. 
Fig. 724. — Button-Mold Checker Men. 

Fig. 725.—Dowel-Stick Sohtaire Pegs. 































GAME EQUIPMENT 


405 


quick drying is in its favor. Lacquer the squares red and 
white, or black and white, and lacquer the edges of the 
board red or black. Use a medium-sized water-color brush 
for filling in the squares, and paint close to the lines, with 
care not to let the lacquer run over the lines. 

For Checker Men, buy wooden button-molds % inch in 
diameter. Use them flat side down for men (Fig. 724), and 
with flat sides together for crowned men. Provide twenty- 
eight men. Lacquer half of the number one color, the 
other half another color. This number will provide two 
spares of each color. 

For Solitaire Pegs, saw %-inch dowel-sticks into forty 
pieces 1 inch long (Fig. 725). This number will provide 
four spares.^’ Smooth up the surfaces of the pegs with 
sandpaper, then lacquer all alike, red or black. 

The Bags to hold the checker men and solitaire pegs 
should be no larger than is necessary. The open end should 
be equipped with a draw-string for closing it. The bottom 
should have a short tape sewed to it to fasten it to the 
board. Give Mother or Sister the specifications. Either 
one can finish the bags in a few minutes on the sewing ma¬ 
chine. Screw brass screw-eyes into two corners of the board 
and tie the bags to them. 

Playing Rules 

Of course, you know how to play checkers. You may not 
know how to work the solitaire problems. There are several 
problems. One is to stick the pegs into all the holes but 
one. Then to jump the pegs, one at a time, removing each 


406 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


peg jumped, until all the pegs but one have been removed. 
There are seven ways to do this. If you work long enough, 
you will surely discover one of the ways. The seven 
solutions, and two other problems and their solutions are 
illustrated and described in Chapter XX of Home-made 
Games and Game Equipment.’^ 



The popularity of games to determine how much you 
know, or how little you know, has brought forth devices, 
mechanically and electrically operated, that ask questions 
and give correct answers. The quiz clock, shown by the 
photographs in Figs. 716 and 717, opposite page 400, is 
my contribution to this field of entertainment, and it will 
cost you nothing to make. You will find it fun to assemble 
the quiz clock, and even more fun to prepare the cards with 
which to quiz. 

Fig. 726 shows a detail of the front of the quiz clock, with 
an answer ” dial inserted. Fig. 727 shows the back of the 
clock, and the “ question and “ answer knobs with which 
you quiz. Since there isn’t space on the clock case for a 
question card, you must make a separate card, like that in 
Fig. 733, and number the questions to correspond to the 
positions of the answers upon the answer dial. 

This Is How the Quiz Clock Works 
Referring to the question card in Fig. 733, which is sug¬ 
gested for the inventors ” card of your series, suppose that 
I ask, as a test question, “Who invented the Telegraph? ” 

407 

























































































408 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS' HOBBIES 


You state who you think was the inventor. Then, I set the 
question-knob at the number opposite the question on the 
card (Fig. 733), which in this case is No. 4 (Fig. 727), and 
turn the answer-knob around and around until the alarm 
rings. Referring to the clock answer-dial, you find that the 
hand points to “Samuel F. B. Morse,’^ and you know 
whether or not you answered my question correctly. Then, 
I turn the question-knob one point to the right, thus 
shutting off the alarm, and proceed with the next question. 

When one set of questions has been answered, it requires 
but an instant to replace the answer-dial with another, in 
readiness to start the next quiz with the corresponding 
question-card. 


A Worn-out Clock Will Do 
provided the alarm spring is intact, and usually that por¬ 
tion of a discarded clock is in good working order. If you 
cannot find a clock at home for the job, scout around among 
your relatives and friends. Probably one of them has a 
clock stowed away in a storeroom, and would be glad to let 
you have it. 


To Prepare the Clock 

remove the glass, the alarm hand, and the minute hand 
(Fig. 726). So much for the face. Fig. 727 shows the re¬ 
modeled back. Leave the alarm key on its post, but un¬ 
screw the time key, which is not needed, and slip off the 
alarm knob and the time knob, as you must fit these with 
larger heads. 


A QUIZ CLOCK 


409 



Fig. 726.—Remove Glass, Alarm-Hand, and Minute-Hand from Face. 

(See Photograph of Fig. 716 opposite Page 400.) 

Fig. 727.—Remodel the Back of the Case, Like This. 

Figs. 728-731.—Details of Spool-End Knob-Heads. 

Fig. 732.—Diagram of Answer-Dial Card, 






































410 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Knob-heads are spool ends. Get a spool with ends 
not larger than 1 inch in diameter (Fig. 728), or, for a small 
clock, use a spool with ends small enough to clear each 
other when they are mounted upon the clock posts. 

The easiest way to cut off the ends of a spool is to slip 
two spools of equal diameter upon a dowel-stick, then hold 
one spool, while you saw the ends from the other spool. 
Cut the ends of equal thickness. Smooth the surfaces with 
sandpaper. 

To Mount the Knob-heads, enlarge the holes in the spool 
ends with your knife, so that the heads of the clock knobs 
will set in flush with the wood, as indicated in Fig. 729. 
Then melt a stick of sealing-wax over a candle flame, and 
allow the wax to drip into the spool holes, and over the 
under side of the clock knob-heads, as indicated in Figs. 730 
and 731. Level off the wax with a knife-blade, then, when 
it has hardened, sandpaper it smooth. Plug the knob stems 
with matches, to keep the wax from filling more than the 
upper part. The wax will bind the spool ends firmly to the 
knobs. 

If, in the use of the quiz clock, the sealing-wax should 
break, and a spool end separate from the clock-knob, remelt 
the wax and cement the two together again. But there 
should be no chance of the parts separating, if, in the first 
place, you pile up enough wax upon the under side of the 
spool end and the clock knob-head, where indicated by the 
arrow in Fig. 731. 

Finish the Knob-heads with paint, enamel, or lacquer. 
Black is best. Letter Answer ’’ upon the time knob-head. 


A QUIZ CLOCK 


411 


Divide the rim of the alarm knob-head into twelve equal 
parts, and number these from 1 to 12 (Fig. 727). Use a 
small water-color brush and white paint for the lettering 
and numbering. 

When the knobs are dry, push them onto their posts. 
Then, since the alarm knob must always be turned clock¬ 
wise, and the time knob must always be turned counter¬ 
clockwise, paint two black arrows upon the back of the 
clock case, as shown in Fig. 727, to indicate the directions 
in which to turn the knobs. Also, paint a black arrow di¬ 
rectly over the center of the alarm knob. 

Finish the Clock Case with lacquer or enamel. My 
model is done in Chinese red, which makes an attractive 
job. 

The Answer-dial Cards 

must be cut a trifle smaller in diameter than the inner rim 
opening of the clock face, and must have two tabs, upon 
opposite edges, as shown upon the layout of Fig. 732, to 
slip between the clock face and rim. The tabs and two 
holes, for the alarm-hand and hour-hand posts to stick 
through, will hold the card in position. 

Divide the card into twelve equal parts, as shown in 
Fig. 732, and describe circles between which to letter. In 
the center of the card, letter Time to Ask Another.^’ 

If you own a typewriter, or have access to one, type the 
lettering on paper, cut it out, and paste it upon the card. 

The Question Cards 

will look neater typewritten than hand-lettered, but if you 


412 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


cannot type them, do the best job of lettering that you 
can. Fig. 733 suggests the form to use. 


TIME • WILL - TELL 
WHO-INVENTED-THE. 


WIRELESS-TELEGRAPH? NO.IO 

AIRPLANE ? .• 3 

LOCOMOTIVE ? - 5 

STEAM-ENGINE? - 9 

TELEGRAPH-? 4 

SEWING-MACHINE? •• II 

STEEL-PROCESS ? -• 2 

GAS-ENGINE? - 6 

TELEPHONE ? - 7 

AUTOMOBILE? , - 12 

MOVING-PICTURE-CAMERA? - 8 

STEAMBOAT? " I 


Fig. 733. — Typewrite or Hand-Letter 
the Question Cards, Like This. 


Preparing the questions and answers will furnish good 
fun for a group of you these autumn evenings. Let me 
hear how you develop the quiz-clock idea. 







iiii^ 


L 



CHAPTER XLVIII 

A GYMNASIUM WITH 
HOME-MADE 
APPARATUS 


It will not require much talking to sell the idea of a 
gymnasium to your hobby club, and once enthusiasm is 
aroused, the success of the project should be assured. If 
the suggestion appeals to you, there are two ways to seek 
cooperation. One way is to show the fellows this chapter 
of home-made equipment which will doubtless interest 
them. The other way is to build one or two pieces of ap¬ 
paratus, then invite their inspection. 

A gymnasium controlled by a group has advantages over 
one individually owned. There are more available sites to 
select from, and, what is quite as important, the cost of ma¬ 
terial for making equipment may be apportioned among the 
members, taken out of the club's funds, or raised through 
an entertainment. 


Where to Locate It 

One of the best locations for a gymnasium is 
A Bam Loft. Lofts are not plentiful in these days of 
motor vehicles, but if you live in an old town, one among 
you may have the right sort of place. Many 

A Garage could be adapted to the purpose, if the cars 

might be parked outside during gym periods. 

413 
































































414 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


A Basement with a high ceiling will do. I have known 
of a group rigging up an excellent gymnasium in a church 
basement. And don’t forget that 



Fig. 734. — A Trapeze Will Be 
Used More Than Any Other 
Apparatus That You Put Up. 


An Unfinished Attic pre¬ 
sents great possibilities, if the 
roof is high enough. Here, 
there is plenty of room, and 
you have the exposed rafters 
from which to suspend a 
trapeze, rings and similar 
apparatus. 

A Trapeze 

will be used more than any 
other apparatus that you put 
up. Fig. 734 shows an excel¬ 
lent rig. 

The Trapeze Bar is usually 
of hickory. Long bars are 
sometimes provided with steel 
cores. There is also the 
steel bar. Our model has a 
bar made of a piece of 1-inch 
iron pipe, 30 inches long (A, 
Fig. 735). One-inch pipe 
measures 1% inches outside 
diameter. The ends of the 
pipe are threaded (Fig. 736), 
and a street-elbow pipe fitting 













A GYMNASIUM WITH HOME-MADE APPARATUS 415 

(B, Fig. 737) is screwed to each end to reduce the open¬ 
ings to the right size for the suspension rope. 

The Suspension Ropes, straps, or chains, ordinarily are 


[OMhHiiinn>iiiltiiin.ii|i.. 







Fig. 735.—Completed Trapeze. 

Fig. 736.—Iron-Pipe Trapeze-Bar, 

Fig. 737.—Street-Elbow Bar End. 

Fig. 738.—Eye-Splice on End of Suspension Rope. 

Fig. 739.—Screw-Eye Hanger. 

Fig. 740.—Eye-Bolt Hanger. 

Fig. 741.—S-Hook Connector. 

Fig. 742.—Completed Flying-Rings. 

Figs. 743-745.—Details of Rings. 

attached to the bar ends. But in this model you will use 



































416 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


one rope and fish it through the bar and end fittings. Then 
you will splice eyes upon the rope ends, like that in 
Fig. 738. Buy rope % inch or % inch in diameter. 

An Eye-Splice presents a simple problem in rope splic¬ 
ing. The three steps are shown in Figs. 746 to 748. First, 



Figs. 746-748.—Three Steps in Making an Eye-Splice on Rope-End. 

untwist the rope end for a length of 8 or 9 inches, then form 
a loop above the untwisted ends, and bind with a string, as 
shown in Fig. 746. Next, take one of the untwisted ends, 
pass it over the strand next to it, and slip it under the next 
strand (Fig. 747). Pry the strands apart with a screw¬ 
driver to admit the strand end. Then pass the end over the 
next strand, and slip it under the strand next to that, and 
continue this weaving until the length of the rope end has 
been woven under. In the same way, weave the other un¬ 
twisted rope ends, and if you do a neat job, the finished eye- 
splice will look like that shown in Fig. 748. 









A GYMNASIUM WITH HOME-MADE APPARATUS 417 

The Way to Suspend the Trapeze will depend upon the 
construction of the ceiling. The simplest hanger is a 
screw-eye of the form of D (Fig. 739), % inch in diameter 
and 4 or 5 inches long. You can screw a pair of these into 
a ceiling joist. But if there is an exposed beam overhead, 
it will be easier to bore holes through it, and use eye-bolts 
(Fig. 740). To connect the rope-eyes to the bolt-eyes, use 
hammock S-hooks (Fig. 741). 

Height Adjustment has not been provided for. But if 
you will make the ropes 
long enough so that the bar 
will be as low as you will 
ever want it, you can make 
hitches to shorten them. 

Flying Rings 
like the pair shown in the 
diagram of Fig. 742, and in 
the picture of Fig. 749, are 
in every modern gym¬ 
nasium. They are as easy 
to rig as the trapeze. 

The Pair of Rings should 
be of iron. Fig. 743 shows 
a ring 8 inches in diameter. 

Have a blacksmith make 
the pair out of %-inch rod, 
unless there is a forge in 
the school shop, where you can make them. You can pur- 



Fig. 749.-—Flying-Rings are as Easy 
to Rig as a Trapeze. 







418 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


chase smaller rings, 5 or 6 inches in diameter, in the larger 
hardware stores. It is not essential to cover the rings, but 
the covering makes them easier to grasp. A two-ply 
wrapping of friction tape will serve the purpose (Fig. 744), 
but if you can locate a harness-maker, and can get leather 
about %6 inch thick, put it on over the wrapping of friction 
tape. Dampen the leather, and you will be surprised how 
easily you can shape it to the curved surfaces. Cut the 
leather into a strip of the right width to cover the rings 
without lapping. Bring the edges together upon the outer 
surface of the rings, and sew with stitches close together, as 
shown in Fig. 745. 

The Rope Hangers must have eyes spliced on their ends. 
Form the lower eyes around the rings, as shown in Fig. 742. 
Suspend the ropes from screw-eyes or eye-bolts, in the man¬ 
ner described for the trapeze. 

A Horizontal Bar 

or tuming-pole, as most of you will prefer to call it, re¬ 
quires more space than the trapeze. 

Fig. 750 shows a substantial apparatus that you can build 
easily. Its construction is shown in the details of Figs. 751 
to 759. 

The Uprights are of 1-inch iron pipe. Two lengths 7 
feet long, with one end threaded, are needed (A, Fig. 751). 
You can buy them from a plumber or steam-fitter, and have 
them threaded at the shop. In addition to the pipe, you 
need two floor flanges (B, Fig. 752), for the lower ends of 
the uprights, to screw to the floor. 


A GYMNASIUM WITH HOME-MADE APPARATUS 419 



Fig. 750. — ^A Horizontal Bar Requires More Space Than a Trapeze. 

The Bar Brackets (C, Figs. 751 and 753) are pieces of 
iron bar % inch thick and 1% inches wide, bent into angles 
with legs 2% inches long, and the vertical leg curved to fit 
against the pipe uprights. Maybe you can shape and drill 
these brackets at your school shop forge. If not, hunt up 
a blacksmith. He will charge little for shaping the four 
brackets, with two %-inch bolt holes in the vertical legs 









































































420 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


and one %-inch hole in the horizontal legs. The holes 
must be located in the same positions on all brackets, be- 



Fig. 751.—Detail of Upright. 

Fig. 752.—Floor-Flange for Upright. 
Fig. 753.—Detail of Bar-Bracket. 
Fig. 754.—Bar End. 

Fig. 755.—Hook-Bolt, 

Fig. 756.—Chain-Stay. 

Fig. 757.—S-Hook. 

Fig. 758.—Turnbuckle. 

Fig. 759.—Hammock-Hook. 












































A GYMNASIUM WITH HOME-MADE APPARATUS 421 

cause the same spacing must be used for drilling holes 
through the pipe uprights and the bar. 

If you have a metal drill, you can drill the pipe uprights 
for the attachment of the bar brackets. If you haven’t a 
drill, call upon your plumber or blacksmith friend to do the 
job. Fig. 751 shows provision for only one position for the 
bar. If you want other adjustments, drill additional holes, 
or have them drilled, so that you can set the brackets at 
different heights. Use machine-bolts (E, Fig. 751) to at¬ 
tach the brackets. 

A Hickory Bar 4 feet long will cost about $3.00, at a 
sporting-goods store. But you can shape one yourself, if 
you can get a clear piece of hickory 1% inches square. The 
ends of the bar should be square (G, Fig. 754). The di¬ 
ameter of the bar between ends should he 1% inches. 

Lacking a hickory bar, substitute 

An Iron Pipe Bar. It will not be as smooth as the steel 
bar sold as regular equipment, but you can make it fairly 
smooth with a file and sandpaper. 

Drill the bar ends to receive a %-inch bolt (F, Fig. 751). 

To Set Up the Bar, slip the bar between the brackets and 
bolt it in place, then raise the uprights and screw down the 
fioor flanges. 

Stay the Uprights as shown in Fig. 750. Buy a pair of 
wrought-iron hook bolts (I, Fig. 755), 40 feet of hammock 
chain (J, Fig. 756), four wrought-iron S-hooks (K, 
Fig. 757), four turnbuckles (L, Fig. 758) and four iron 
hammock hooks (M, Fig. 759). Screw hooks M to the floor 
at points 3 feet in front and back of the floor flanges, 6 


422 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


inches to the side, with lag screws about 2 inches long (H). 
Fasten bolts I through holes in the uprights. Slip the 
S-hooks K into the upper eyes of turnbuckles L, and slip 
the lower eyes of the turnbuckles over the floor hooks M. 
Then cut the hammock chain into lengths to extend from 
hook bolts I to S-hooks K, loop them over the hooks, and 
turn the turnbuckles to make the chains taut. 

Parallel Bars 

are large, but there will be room for them in an attic gym¬ 
nasium. The model shown in Fig. 760 is not difficult to 
build. 



Fig. 760.—Probably There Will Be Room for the Parallel Bars in an 

Attic Gymnasium. 

The Base has two end-plates 3 feet 6 inches long, cut 
from a 2-by-12 (A, Figs. 761 and 762), and a reach-plank 













A GYMNASIUM WITH HOME-MADE APPARATUS 423 

of the same size stock, 6 feet 3 inches long (B), that is 
spiked at its ends to plates A. 



Fig. 761. — End Elevation of Parallel Bars. 

Fig. 762. — One-Half Side Elevation. 

The Bars are of spruce or pine 2-by-4 stock, 8 feet long 
(C, Figs. 761 and 762), with tops rounded as shown in the 
cross-section of Fig. 763, and ends tapered as shown in 
Fig. 764. Shape the bars with a draw-knife or plane, or 
both, then rub down the surfaces with sandpaper until they 
are as smooth as glass. 

The Supports for the bars are 1%-inch iron pipe 4 feet 
4 inches long (D, Fig. 766). Have a plumber or steam- 
fitter cut them for you, thread each end, and screw floor 
flanges to them (E and F, Figs. 765 and 766). 

To Assemble the Apparatus, first screw floor flanges F 































424 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


to the under side of the bars, with %-inch lag-screws 2% 
inches long (G, Fig. 763). Lag-screws have square heads 
like machine-bolts, and you must turn them with a wrench. 



Fig. 763.—Cross-Section of Bar, Showing Pipe Floor-Flange Connection. 
Fig. 764.—Detail of Tapered Bar End. 

Fig. 765.—Floor-Flange for Upright Ends. 

Fig. 766.—Iron-Pipe Upright with Floor-Flange on End. 

To make them drive easily, bore holes %6 inch in diameter 
where they are to go, and soap the screw-threads. When 
you have screwed the floor flanges F to the bars, stand the 
supports upon plates A, with a spacing of 25 inches between 






















A GYMNASIUM WITH HOME-MADE APPARATUS 425 

the centers of pipe uprights D (Fig. 761), and screw or bolt 
floor flanges E to plates A. Having mounted the supports, 
bolt reach-plank B to plates A. These bolts must be short 
enough for you to countersink the heads and nuts flush with 
the surfaces of the reach-plank and plates. 

Finish the Woodwork of the parallel bars with yellow or 
gray paint, and wax the bars. Enamel the iron pipe sup¬ 
ports and fittings black. 


Mats 

You should have mats to place under your trapeze, paral¬ 
lel bars and other apparatus. An old mattress makes an 
excellent mat, and possibly you can find one. The covering 
will not stand rough usage, but you can add a second cover¬ 
ing of No. 8 cotton duck, or heavy denim. 

Burlap bags filled with straw and excelsior are better 
than no mat. Fill four or five bags, then lace them to¬ 
gether, side by side, with wrapping-twine. 

Your gymnasium will not be complete without 

A Striking-bag Platform 

Fig. 767 shows how you can hang a platform from the 
ceihng-joists of a basement or porch, and you can use the 
same scheme in an attic with slanting rafters, by cutting 
one pair of hangers longer than the other pair. 

Make the Platform 4 feet square. Fig. 768 shows a de¬ 
tail. Use three pieces of 2-by-4, placed flat, for battens 
(A), and matched boards for the covering. Cover the strik¬ 
ing-face of the platform with wrapping-paper. Lap this 


426 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS^ HOBBIES 


over the edges, and tack it. Then tack a piece of table oil¬ 
cloth over the paper. 

Suspend the Platform about 2 inches above your head. 
This height will determine the length of 



Fig. 767.—Hang This Striking-Bag Platform from the Ceiling-Joists. 

The Hangers. As joists and rafters are usually spaced 16 
inches or 24 inches from center to center, you should be able 
to spike the hangers directly to two of them (B, Fig. 767). 
Cut the hangers from a 2-by-4. 

Hinge the Platform to the hangers, as shown in Fig. 767. 
If you use loose-pin hinges, you will have a portable plat¬ 
form that you can take down by withdrawing the pins, as 
indicated in Fig. 769. You may or may not care about this 
feature, but it is just as easy to hinge the platform to the 
hangers as to fasten it in any other way. 

Screw the striking-bag attachment swivel to the center of 





















A GYMNASIUM WITH HOME-MADE APPARATUS 427 

the platform. You can buy a one-piece ball-bearing swivel, 
or one of the detachable type shown in Fig. 770. 



Fig. 768.—Detail of Striking-Bag Platform. 

Fig. 769.—Hanger End, Showing Loose-Pin Hinge Connector. 

Fig. 770.—Detachable Ball-Bearing Hanger for Striking-Bag. 

Other Apparatus 

Maybe you will have room for only one or two of the 
pieces of apparatus that I have described. Maybe you will 
have room for more. A buck, a horse, jump standards, 
chest-weights, hitch-and-kick, horizontal ladder, and rope 
for hand-over-hand climbing are equipment that you may 
want to add. You will find plans for some of this apparatus 
in Chapter X of Handicraft for Handy Boys/’ and in 
Chapter XVIII of ^‘The Boy Craftsman,” and I believe 
that with the suggestions I have given, you can devise plans 
for anything else that you want, 
















428 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


You will have your own ideas about the arrangement of 
apparatus, and the making of racks for dumb-bells, bar¬ 
bells, and wands. I shall be interested in seeing a picture 
of your gymnasium when you have completed it. 



T 

1 


ll .J 

m 


1 


1 n 

11^1 


ill, 


CHAPTER XLIX 

BOOK-NOOKS AND 
WHATNOTS 



Reading is one of the greatest of hobbies, and I have no 
doubt that it is one of yours, and that you have the start 
of a library which some day will be one of your most 
treasured possessions. What provision have you made for 
taking care of your books? Good books deserve good nooks 
to hold them in readiness for repeated readings, for refer¬ 
ence, and for lending; and with a place for each book, and 
each book in its place, there is no need to hunt from pantry 
to coat closet for the book that you want, when you want it. 

In this chapter, I have grouped a number of designs for 
book-racks and bookcases, small and large, and probably 
you will find among them what you need for your own 
books. Mother will discover an overflow unit for the home 
library, and Father will see the very rack he has wanted 
for his den. There are never too many book nooks in a 
household, the reverse is generally true. Bear this fact in 
mind, when you are looking about for something to make 
for a Christmas or a birthday gift. A well-built book-rack 
or bookcase will always be appreciated and will usually 
bring the response, “ It is exactly what I have wanted.” 

There is nothing better than 

429 








































































430 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


An Extension Book-Rack 

to hold books in immediate use, on the library table or on 
your desk top. The model in Fig. 771 is very simple to 



Fiq. 771.—Side Elevation of Book-Rack Shown in Fig. 830. 

make. A photograph of the rack is shown in Fig. 830. 
Working drawings of 

The Parts are shown in Figs. 772 to 775. Cut two end 
pieces o>f the shape and size of the pattern in Fig. 772, out 
of %-inch or %-inch wood, two base blocks of the dimen¬ 
sions given in Figs. 773 and 774, and two slide strips of 
the size given in Fig. 775. If you intend to enamel or 
lacquer the surfaces, use pine, basswood or other wood 
with a close grain; if you want a stain-and-wax finish, use 
oak or other wood with open grain. 

In Laying Out the end pieces, draw one-half of the pat¬ 
tern, make a tracing of it, lay it off on one side of the 
center line, and then reverse it for the other half. Be 
careful in sawing and finishing the tops of the end pieces 
to get them alike. A file will be handy for shaping the 



















!*-o;ihH 


BOOK-NOOKS AND WHATNOTS 


431 




Fig. 772.—Book-Rack End. 

Fig. 773.—Base Block. 

Fig. 774.—^Edge View of Completed Book-Rack End. 
Fig. 775.—Slide Strip. 



















































































432 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


curved ends, after you have sawed them. Smooth all sur¬ 
faces with sandpaper, and rub off the sharp edges. 

To Assemble the rack, nail the base blocks to the end 
pieces (Fig. 774), and slip the slide strips into the notches 
cut for them. 

When the parts have been finished, glue pieces of felt to 
the under side of the base blocks, or drive in rubber-headed 
tacks. 


A Wall-Rack 

The photograph of Fig. 776 shows a type of rack now in 
vogue. Finished with one of the popular shades of red 

or green, it is a most 
attractive book- 
nook for a bedroom. 
The lower shelf will 
hold your school 
books or current 
reading, the top 
shelf will hold short 
books, or standard¬ 
sized volumes laid 
flat, or support a 
clock. 

The Material 

used for this rack 
is % inch thick, but 


Fig. 779.— Front Elevation of Wall-Rack 
Shown in Fig. 776. 


%-inch stock will do. Use soft pine, white wood, basswood. 












77(5—Wall Book-Rack. Fig. 778.—Corner Whatnot. 
Fig. 777.—Another Wall-Rack. 























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BOOK-NOOKS AND WHATNOTS 


433 


or other close-grained, easily-worked wood. An 8-inch 
board 8 feet long will contain enough material. 





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Figs. 780-782.—Details of End-Pieces. 
Figs. 783 and 784.—Shelves. 

Fig. 785.—Metal Hanger. 




























































































4S4 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Fig. 779 shows a front elevation of the raek, Figs. 780 to 
782 are details of the ends, and Figs. 783 and 784 are shelf 
diagrams. First, lay out upon wrapping-paper 

A Pattern for the End-Pieces. The pattern of Fig. 781 
has been marked off into squares to aid you in enlarging 
it. Make a similar series of squares, drawing fourteen 
horizontal lines and forty vertical lines, spaced % inch 
apart. Then on the enlarged squares, lay off the outline, 
as it is shown upon the printed pattern. Describe the 
curves with a compass, with centers located where shown. 
When you have completed the outline, and made certain 
that it is correct, cut it out, and mark out two end-pieces 
upon the working material. 

Saw the Curves with a coping-saw. Cut close to the 
outlines, then finish the sawed edges with a file, and 
smooth with sandpaper. Round the edges slightly, to 
remove their sharpness. 

Shelf-Grooves. The end-pieces of the model have 
grooves for the shelves to fit in. These make stronger 
joints, and a more rigid job than butted ends. But you can 
use the butt-joint, if you are afraid to tackle the grooved 
joint; then reinforce it by screwing small iron brackets to 
the under side of the shelves and end-pieces. 

Positions for the shelf-grooves are shown on the diagrams 
of Fig. 780. Lay them out, then cut down along the sides 
of the grooves with a chisel, and pare out the wood be¬ 
tween. Make the depths of the grooves ^ inch. You 
can make the width of the grooves % inch, instead of mak¬ 
ing them equal to the thickness of the shelves, then cut 


BOOK-NOOKS AND WHATNOTS 


435 


away the shelf ends so there will be % inch tongues to fit 
the grooves. This will form shoulders on the shelf ends 
that will add rigidity to the joints, provided that the work 
is done accurately. 

Cut the Shelves of the dimensions given in Figs. 783 and 
784. The given length allows % inch for fitting into the 
grooves of the end-pieces. 

To Assemble the wall-rack, coat the shelf ends and the 
grooves of the end-pieces with glue, drive the joints to¬ 
gether, nail with four-penny finishing-nails, and set the 
nail heads. 

Finishing. If you have a sprayer and are practised in 
using it, finish your wall-rack with lacquer. But do not 
attempt to apply lacquer with a brush, on surfaces as large 
as those of the rack, because it dries so rapidly that it is 
difficult to cover without showing laps. It will be better to 
use one of the quick-drying enamels. You can get the 
same variety of shades of colors in enamels, as in lacquers, 
in small-sized cans, at the paint store. 

Before applying the finish, putty nail holes, and smooth 
all surfaces thoroughly with medium and fine sandpaper. 

When the last coat of finish has dried, screw a pair of 
brass hangers of the kind shown in Fig. 785, to the back 
of the upper shelf. 

Another Wall-Rack 

of simple lines, of a good size for a working library, or for 
favorite volumes, is shown in the photograph of Fig. 777. 
As this is a narrow rack 


436 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


The Material for the ends and shelves may be % or % 
inch thick. Use soft pine, white wood, basswood or other 
close-grained wood. 



Fig. 786.—Cross-Section of WaU-Rack Shown in Fig. 777. 
Fig. 787.—End-Piece. 

Figs. 788-790.—Shelves. 

Fig, 791.—Shelf-Back. 


Fig. 786 shows a cross-section of the rack, Fig. 787 shows 
a pattern for end-pieces A, Figs. 788 to 790 show dimen- 























































































BOOK-NOOKS AND WHATNOTS 


437 


sions for shelves B, C, and D, and Fig. 791 shows a pattern 
for shelf-back E. 

The Pattern for the Ends has been ruled off into squares 
to assist you in reproducing the curved edges. To make a 
full-sized pattern, rule off thirty-two horizontal lines and 
seven vertical lines, with a spacing of 1 inch. Then draw 
the curves across the large squares exactly as they are 
drawn across the small squares. 

The Shelves are of equal length, but they vary in width 
(Figs. 788 to 790). Lay out shelf-back E by the pattern 
of Fig. 791, and bore a pair of hanger holes through it as 
indicated. 

In Assembling the rack, use glue and three-penny finish¬ 
ing-nails. Locate the shelf positions in pencil upon the 
side-pieces, then there will be no chance of going wrong 
in nailing together the parts. 

Finish the Rack as directed for the other wall-rack. 

A Corner Whatnot 

Never since colonial days has the whatnot been as 
popular as it is now. The three-shelf corner model in the 
photograph of Fig. 778 is just the thing for Mother’s 
bric-a-brac, and it is suited to bedroom or living-room. 
The top shelf might be used to support a clock. 

The Turned Spindles of this whatnot are spools. Your 
first thought may be, “ Where will you get so many 
spools? ” There will be empty spools in Mother’s work- 
basket. Relatives and friends will have a few. A dress¬ 
maker, or any one who specializes in fancy work will save 


438 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


them for you. Broadcast your needs, and you will have 
more than you need before you realize it. My three-shelf 
model in the photograph has forty-eight spools, of uniform 
shape and size, but you may use two or three sizes, if you 
will arrange them so that the three spindles are alike. 

You will need three %-inch dowel-sticks about 24 inches 
long on which to glue the spools, and six wooden button- 
molds 1 inch in diameter for caps for the three top and 
three bottom spools. 

Fig. 792 is a plan of the rack. Fig. 793 is a pattern for 

The Shelves, You can cut these out of box-boards % 
inch thick and 5% inches wide, a size easy to get. Select 
straight pieces that are free from knots and cracks. You 
may have to plane one or both sides of the boards, and 
rub them down with sandpaper. Prepare an accurate 
cardboard pattern. Be careful to make the inside corner 
square, and the outside corners alike. Locate centers for 
the dowel-stick holes, as shown, and describe arcs with a 
%-inch radius for the rounded corners. Cut the cardboard 
pattern, and use it to mark around in laying out the 
shelves upon the boards. Bore the %-inch dowel-stick 
holes before cutting the shelves, then there will be less 
danger of splitting the wood. After sawing the pieces, 
shape the corners with a file and sandpaper, and plane and 
sandpaper the straight edges. 

Finish the Parts of the whatnot before assembling them. 
It saves working in and around the spools, skipping places, 
and making laps. Use either lacquer or enamel. You can 
readily apply brushing lacquer to the small surfaces. My 


BOOK-NOOKS AND WHATNOTS 


439 


model was finished with enamel. I used two colors. 
Chinese vermihon for the shelves and eighteen spools, and 
black for the other thirty spools. The best way to hold 



Fig. 792.—Plan of Whatnot Shown in Fig. 778. 
Fig. 793.—Shelf. 

Fig. 794.—^Assembly Detail. 

Fig. 795.—Metal Hanger. 








































440 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


spools for painting is to slip them onto the dowel-sticks, 
and twist a rubber-band around each stick end to keep the 
spools from slipping off. Apply three coats of lacquer or 
enamel to the shelves and spools. Sandpaper the surfaces 
lightly, between coats, with No. 00 sandpaper. 

To Assemble the parts, run the three dowel-sticks 
through the holes in the bottom shelf, coat the stick ends 
with glue and slip a black spool over each (Fig. 794). 
Then coat the sticks with glue, and slip seven spools onto 
each, alternating the colors, with the first and seventh 
spool black. Apply the glue thickly, so that it will coat 
the sides of the spool-holes, and spread over the spool-ends. 
Add the middle shelf, then seven spools on each stick, the 
top shelf, and the top spool on each stick. Trim off the 
dowel-sticks even with the top and bottom spools, and glue 
and nail the button-molds to the spool ends for caps. 

Stand the assembled whatnot upon the floor, place a 
weight upon the top shelf, and allow it to remain until the 
glue has had a chance to set. 

Buy a pair of brass hangers like that in Fig. 795, at a 
hardware store, and screw them.to the back edges of the 
top shelf where indicated in Fig. 792. 

A Modernistic Book-Tower 
The skyscraper book-tower shown in the photograph of 
Fig. 796 is well adapted to a corner or narrow wall space. 
It is a small bookcase, but it has a surprising capacity, the 
result of the two open sides, which make it possible to slip 
books back of rows. 



Fig. 79<i. —Modernistic Book-Tower. 

Fig. 797. —Pier Cabinet and Waste-Basket. 
Fig. 798. —Footstool. (See Chapter L.) 



























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BOOK-NOOKS AND WHATNOTS 


441 


Most furniture in the modernistic style looks simpler to 
build than is the case, and requires experience in joinery. 
But I have designed the tower with the thought that it 
may be your first project in cabinet making. Instead of 
rabbeting the joints, I have butted all parts, except the 
corner post, which I let into the corners of the shelves. 
With close attention to the diagrams and instructions, and 
careful workmanship, you will have no difficulty in turning 
out a satisfactory job. 

Material. You may use either hard or soft wood for the 
book-tower, but you must consider the grain if you intend 
to lacquer or enamel the surfaces, as this must be closed like 
the grain in pine, whitewood or basswood, instead of open 
as in oak. You can buy the material at any lumber-yard. 
But make certain that what you get is dry. Tell the 
dealer the purpose for which you want it. If you can get 
pieces that are planed and sanded upon four sides, you will 
be saved much work. The stock should be % inch thick. 
Ten-inch boards, which usually measure about 9% inches 
wide, will do for all parts except one of the back-boards, 
which must be 10% inches wide. You will have to buy a 
12-inch board for this piece, or glue a strip to one edge of 
a 10-inch board to make it of the correct width. 

Fig. 799 shows a cross-section of the book-tower. Figs. 
800 and 801 show 

The Back-Boards, with the dimensions to cut them, and 
Figs. 802 and 803 show how to mark off the ends for 
cutting. When you have laid out the pieces, saw close to 
the lines, and cut out the pieces between the legs with a 


442 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


coping-saw, or keyhole-saw. Plane the sawed edges 
smooth, trim the stepped ends with a chisel or file, or both, 
and smooth all surfaces with sandpaper. In the cutting. 






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Fig. 799.—Cross-Section of Book-Tower Shown in Fig. 796. 

Figs. 800 and 801.—Back-Boards. 

work carefully to avoid splitting or chipping the wood 
along the edges. If you accidentally chip off a sliver, coat 
it with glue, and clamp it back into place. 






















































BOOK-NOOKS AND WHATNOTS 


443 


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You will see by the plan of Fig. 804 that one back-board 
is made % inch wider than the other, because it overlaps it. 

Cut Five Shelves 
of the size shown in ,^4 
Fig. 805. Cut the ^ ° 
corner notch exactly 
% inch square. It 
is important to cut 
the shelves with 
square corners, and 
to make the notches 
square. 

Cut the Corner- 
Post of the size 
shown in Fig. 806. 

Assembling. Use 
four-penny finish¬ 
ing-nails and glue 
for assembling the 
parts. Mark off the 
positions for the 
shelves upon the 
back-boards, as in¬ 
dicated by dotted 
lines in Figs. 800 
and 801. Coat the 
edge of the board to 
be lapped, and the edge of the board to lap, with glue, place 
them together and nail. In the same way, coat the edges 


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Figs. 802 and 803.— Details of Ends of Back- 
Boards. 

Fig. 804.—Plan of Book-Tower. 

Fig. 805.—Shelf. 

Fig. 806.—Corner-Post. 

Fig. 807. —Comer-Post Blocks. 

Figs. 808 and 809. —Details of Base Blocks. 























444 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


of the shelves with glue, fit them in place, and nail. The 
glue-coated shelf edges will slide out of place easily. Hold 
them between the guide-lines, while nailing, so that 
slipping will be prevented. 

A little trimming may be necessary to make the corner- 
post fit in the shelf notches. Set the lower end of the 
strip fiush with the under side of the bottom shelf. The 
upper end should then project 1% inches above the top 
shelf. Glue and nail the corner-post to the shelves, check¬ 
ing up the shelf spacing, and making it the same at this 
corner as at the other corners. 

Complete the top by fitting two blocks of wood % inch 
thick, wide and high (Fig. 807) against two sides of the 
corner post (Fig. 804). 

Complete the base by fitting blocks under the bottom 
shelf, close to the projections, to make equal margins on 
all sides. Two blocks are required below the corner-post 
(Fig. 808), and one block at the other corners. Fig. 809 
shows the width to cut the lapping blocks. The blocks 
lapped are % inch narrower. 

When you have assembled the book-tower, go over it 
thoroughly. Trim off edges that are not exactly flush with 
one another, scrape off glue that has squeezed out of joints, 
set nail-heads, and rub down all surfaces. 

Finishing. A quick drying enamel is preferable to 
brushing lacquer for this job, because lacquer dries too 
quickly to brush on without showing laps. Use three coats 
of enamel, and after each coat has dried, sand it lightly 
with No. 00 sandpaper to bring it to a smooth surface. 


BOOK-NOOKS AND WHATNOTS 


445 


Two-tone work is the vogue for modernistic furniture. 
Green or a gun-metal gray, for the sides and shelves, with 
the edges done in silver, make good combinations. 


A Pier-Cabinet 

Tall and narrow, the pier-cabinet shown in the photo¬ 
graph of Fig. 797, requires little floor space. It is suited 
to any room in the house, not only for books, but also for 
glass, china and bric-a-brac. 

The Material used for the sides, shelves and top of the 
cabinet is Norway pine, but any selected pine, whitewood, 
basswood, or other wood with close grain will do. Close- 
grained wood is best, if the cabinet is to be enameled. Two 
pieces of 1-by-lO 8 feet long are sufficient for the job. Get 
sanded stock, if possible. It will save you the work of 
removing marks left by the circular-saw of the sawmill. 

The back of my model is of wallboard, which is inex¬ 
pensive and easily tacked on, but you can use a panel of 
plywood if you prefer it. 

Fig. 810 of the diagrams shows the spacing of the cabinet 
shelves. Fig. 811 suggests closer spacing to provide an 
additional shelf. Fig. 812 is a cross-section of the cabinet 
with the parts lettered, and Figs. 813 to 816 are details of 
the parts. 

Lay Out the Side-Boards by the diagram of Fig. 813. 
Make the half-circle cut in the lower end of each, to form 
feet, and cut away the front edge at the top, for face- 
board D to fit into. 


446 BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 

The Top (B, Fig. 814) fits between face-board D and 
the back; therefore, it is narrower than 

The Shelf-Boards, for which a pattern is given in Fig. 



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Fig. 810.—Front Elevation of Pier Cabinet Shown in Fig. 797. 
Fig. 811.—Front Elevation Showing Spacing for Five Shelves. 
Fig. 812.—Cross-Section of Cabinet. 


814. Be careful, in cutting the shelves and top, to make 
them of equal length, and to make their corners square. 
















































BOOK-NOOKS AND WHATNOTS 


447 


Lay Out the Face-Board by the diagram of Fig. 816. 
Notice that all of the curves may be described with a com¬ 
pass. Saw out the piece with a coping-saw, cutting close 
to the outline. Then smooth the edges with a wood-rasp 
and sandpaper. It is important to finish the curved edges 



Fig. 814.—Top. 

Fig. 815.—Shelf. 

Fig. 816.—Face-Board. 

carefully, because humps and hollows will show through a 
lacquer or enamel finish. 





















448 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


As you need only a narrow piece of 

Wallboard for the Back, perhaps a neighborhood car¬ 
penter will have a strip large enough. If not, buy a sheet 
of it at the lumber yard. You can use what is left over, 
on another model. 

Assemble the Parts with glue and four-penny finishing- 
nails. Mark off the positions for the shelves upon the side 
pieces. Coat the shelf ends with glue, and nail the side 
pieces to them. Then glue and nail face-board D in the 
notches cut for it. Drive nail-heads below the surface with 
a nail-set, in preparation for putty. 

Fasten the wallboard back with glue and large-headed 
nails. When the glue has hardened, plane off the edges 
of the wallboard even with the cabinet sides, and sandpaper 
them smooth. Also, clean up all surfaces with sandpaper, 
and sandpaper the edges of the sides, shelves and face- 
board, to remove their sharpness. 

Finish the Cabinet in the manner suggested for the 
modernistic book-tower. 








CHAPTER L 


A WASTE-BASKET AND A 
FOOTSTOOL 



There is space for only a few ideas for home-made fur¬ 
niture in this book, but you boys whose hobby is making 
things for home, for gifts, and for sale, will find additional 
ideas in my other books. Waste-paper baskets and foot¬ 
stools are among the most useful medium-sized pieces of 
furniture that you can make, and the basket in the photo¬ 
graph of Fig. 797, and the stool in the photograph of Fig. 
798, are practical models that are easy to make. 

The Waste-Basket 

in the photograph of Fig. 797 is an example of well- 
constructed wallboard furniture. 

For Material you need five pieces of wallboard, four for 
sides and one for the bottom. Two of the sides (A, Fig. 
817) must be cut % inch narrower than the other pair 
(B, Fig. 818), to allow for the overlapping of the former 
by the latter. The bottom (C, Fig. 819) is square. Be 
careful in laying out the pieces, to make the corners right 
angles, and in cutting, to saw close to, not on, the fines. 

In addition to wallboard, you need four wooden corner- 

449 


























































450 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


posts % inch square (D, Fig. 820), and a bottom cleat 
(E, Fig. 821). 

To Assemble the Basket, glue and nail the pair of nar- 



Figs. 817 and 818.—Wallboard Sides for Waste-Basket Shown in 
Fig. 797. 

Fig. 819.—Wallboard Bottom. 

Fig. 820.—Wooden Corner-Post. 

Fig. 821.—Bottom Cleat. 

Fig. 822.—^Assembly of Side, Posts, and Cleat. 



































































A WASTE-BASKET AND A FOOTSTOOL 


451 


row sides to the corner-posts, as shown in Fig. 822, and 
fasten two of the bottom cleats between the posts. Then 
glue and nail the other pair of sides to the corner-posts of 
the assembled frames, fasten the two remaining bottom 
cleats in place, and glue and nail the wallboard bottom to 
the upper face of the bottom cleats. 

Enamel the Basket. The model in the photograph was 
finished with three coats of yellow enamel, then trimmed 
in black. The black was applied to the corner-posts, to 
a band 1 inch wide up each side of the corners, and to a 
stepped-up pattern laid out around the bottom, as shown 
on the pattern of Fig. 818. The pattern is simple, and 
effective in the contrasting color. 


The Footstool 

The photograph of Fig. 798 shows a stool of generous 
size well adapted to sun porch or living-room. It is ideal 
for a fireside seat, too. 

Fig. 823 of the diagrams is a cross-section of the stool. 

Prepare a Pattern for the Sides, by enlarging the 
diagram shown in Fig. 824. Draw twenty horizontal lines 
and forty-one vertical lines, with a spacing of % inch, and 
you will have a series of squares similar to those of the 
diagram, but full-sized. Then reproduce the lines of the 
diagram upon the squares, exactly as shown. 

Lay off the pattern four times upon a 10-inch board, 

which will measure about 9% inches wide. 

Saw Out the Sides, and smooth the curves with a file 


452 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


OUARTER-ROUNl 


and sandpaper. The ends of the boards must be mitered, 
to make trim corners (Fig. 825). The secret of making 

perfect miters is in 
laying them out ac¬ 
curately, and saw¬ 
ing exactly to the 
lines. You can cor¬ 
rect slight imperfec¬ 
tions with a plane, 
but it is generally 
more satisfactory to 
V cut another piece 
than to attempt to 
correct a poorly cut 
miter. 

To Assemble the 
Frame, coat the 
mitered ends of the 
sides with glue, and 
nail them together 
with 4-penny fin¬ 
ishing-nails (Fig. 
825). Then nail 
strips % inch square 
around the inside 
of the frame, 1% 
inches below the 
top, for cleats to 
support the seat- 



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im. 


Fig. 823.—Cross-Section of Footstool Shown 
in Fig. 798. 

Fig. 824.—Side. 

Fig. 825.—Frame Assembly. 















































































































































A WASTE-BASKET AND A FOOTSTOOL 453 

bottom boards (Fig. 823). Cut the bottom boards to make 
a snug fit between the sides of the frame, and nail them to 
the cleats. Glue and nail blocks to the inside corners (Fig. 
823) to reinforce the mitered joints. Fasten quarter-round 
molding around the top of the frame, as shown in Fig. 823, 
to make a rounded rim for the upholstery filling. 

For Upholstering the footstool, you need excelsior, felt, 
or cotton batting, muslin, or cambric, or other upholstering 
fabric, gimp braid, and tacks. 

Dampen the excelsior and pack it into the top of the 
frame as solidly as you can. Place the felt or cotton 
batting over the excelsior. Spread the muslin over this, 
and tack it to the quarter-round molding on two opposite 
sides. With the cloth pulled taut, irregularities in the 
excelsior filling will show up. Locate these, and correct 
them by reducing the humps and filling out the hollows 
with excelsior. Then tack the other sides. It will prob¬ 
ably require several readjustments to produce a top that 
is uniformly compact, and nicely rounded. 

Finish the Frame with three coats of lacquer or enamel, 
then when the last coat has dried. 

Tack the Top Covering Fabric in place. Fasten one 
edge, pull the material tightly over the muslin covering to 
the opposite side, and tack it; then pull the side edges 
taut, and tack them. Finish the edges of the material 
with gimp braid. Tack the braid with gimp tacks. 

Drive domes-of-silence, or large rubber-headed screws 
into the leg ends, and the footstool will be completed. 






i'! 


CHAPTER LI 


EARNING, SAVING AND 
SPENDING 



Now we come to a chapter of great importance, and if it 
spurs you on to do and to acquire bigger and better things, 
it will have accomplished its purpose. 

Earning, saving, and spending are closely related to 
nearly every hobby that you may be interested in. Some 
boys adopt them as hobbies, but their real importance is 
in the furtherance of worth-while activities. Earn to save, 
and save to spend. This is becoming the accepted notion 
of a boy’s rightful use of money. No one has more aptly 
expressed the thought than Henry Ford, who has said, Of 
itself, money is the least valuable thing on earth. It is 
valuable only when it is used as a tool for self-improve¬ 
ment, or to accomplish some end. Saving, as it has been 
schooled into boys in the past, gives money too high a 
place, and, with some boys, saving takes the place of 
spending in a way that would increase earnings. 

boy’s job is not to accumulate dollars, but to use 
them to prepare himself with training, knowledge, and 
experience. If he saves, it should be with some such ex¬ 
penditure in view. So I say to boys, ^ Spend your money! 
Spend it for things that will put you ahead of where you 

454 




























































































EARNING, SAVING AND SPENDING 455 

were yesterday/ If I were bringing up a boy to-day, I 
would see to it that he had two things, and I would make 
his education center around them. He would have a shop 
in which he could work with tools, and he would have some 
money to spend—to invest in himself, in order to develop 
himself. A dollar put into a book might change the whole 
course of a boy’s life. The same dollar put into a savings 
bank would at the end of a year yield four or five cents.” 

There is more of an incentive to earn money, and to save 
what you earn, when you have an objective. College, for 
one thing. Probably, you plan to earn your college ex¬ 
penses. But because college days are several years away, 
there will not be the urge to earn and to save now that 
there would be for a less distant objective. 

Your earning, saving, and spending program might well 
center in your hobbies, with Dad’s counsel in the matter of 
spending. Look to your hobbies as a possible source of 
guidance toward a successful career. Earn, save and spend 
money for equipment and materials that will enable you 
to pursue your hobbies to the fullest possible extent. 

It is interesting to read in the autobiographies of suc¬ 
cessful men of their ambitions when boys, of their pursuit 
of hobbies, and of their struggle to obtain means to carry 
on these activities. Probably the foremost example in 
modern times is Thomas Edison. Young Edison at the age 
of ten set up a chemical laboratory in the cellar of his 
home; at twelve, he carried on experimental work on the 
train on which he was employed as newsboy and candy 


456 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


butcher ; at fifteen, he printed and published a small 
newspaper, the first to be issued on a moving train; at 
sixteen, he was absorbed in the subject of electricity, and 
possessed telegraph instruments which he had built himself. 
Then, after several years of employment as telegrapher, at 
twenty-three, he received his first money, forty thousand 
dollars, for inventions. Until that time, Edison had spent 
all that he could earn and save, in the development of his 
ideas. 

You probably have a better chance than Thomas Edison, 
the Wright Brothers, Henry Ford, and thousands of other 
successful men, of getting an early start in developing your 
genius, which Thomas Edison has said is one per cent 
inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration,” because 
of the better tools, machines, and hobby books that are 
available, and because of greater opportunities for earning 
money to buy materials and equipment. 

The group of photographs of Figs. 826 to 830 show some 
of the hobby equipment that might be yours through your 
efforts in earning and saving money. Imagine the pos¬ 
sibilities in the complete tool outfit (Fig. 826), in the 
electric bench lathe (Fig. 827), in the electric scroll-saw 
(Fig. 828), in the printing press (Fig. 829), and in the 
hobby library (Fig. 830). Such equipment as this will 
enable you to earn money for additional equipment. It 
will be an investment on which you will realize for years 
to come, and when you have attained success in the field 
of your choice, you will cherish it as Henry Ford cherishes 
his first lathe, at his Dearborn museum. 



Fig. 828.—An Electric 
Scroll-Saw. 



Fig. 827.—An Electric Bench- 
Lathe. 




Fig. 826.—A Cabinet 
OF Fine Tools. 


Fig. 829.—A Printing-Press. 



Fig. 830.—a Hobby Library. 

Earn, Save, and Spend for Such Equipment as This. 






























V 



>> 


• -o '- K 

... .V-A • 


■jt^ 




*. ..dV. 


•-■ •■ < 


EARNING, SAVING AND SPENDING 


457 


Select the equipment that will be of the greatest benefit 
in your chosen hobby, and do not be content until you 
have obtained it. Do not expect it to be given to you. If 
it is not worth working for, it is not worth having. If you 
are not capable of earning it, you are not capable of using 
it. If you haven’t enough ambition to earn the purchase 
money, you haven’t enough ambition to warrant its pur¬ 
chase. 

There are many ways in which a boy can earn money, 
and I am certain that one or more of the following will 
appeal to you. These are offered not as a complete list, 
but as suggestions from my notebook, that have been fol¬ 
lowed and approved by boys. 


Making Things to Sell 


Calendar-Boards 

Stationery-Racks 

Time-Card Racks 

Telephone-Card Directory 

Post-Card Racks 

Candle-Sticks 

Spool-Holders 

Whiskbroom-Holders 

Twine-Boxes 

Book-Ends 

Waste-Baskets 

Tabourets 

Plant-Stands 

Fireplace-Screens 

Shoe-Polishing Case 

Necktie Racks 

Birch-Bark Novelties 

Leather Novelties 


Egg-Racks 
Milk-Card Racks 
Window Refrigerator 
Recipe Cabinet 
Step-Ladder Stool 
Clothes-Line Reel 
Kitchen Clock-Shelf 
Pantry-Needs Board 
Pot-Cover Rack 
Pantry Bottle-Rack 
Flat-Iron Rest 
Flat-Iron Rack 
Knife-Box 
Towel Roller 
Scrub-Pail Platform 
Ice-Pick and Ice-Chisel Rack 
Window Ventilator 
Clothes-Poles 


458 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Fly-Traps 

Rests for Hot Dishes 

Christmas-Tree Bases 

Christmas Wreaths 

Sewing-Stand 

Fancy work Frame 

Fancy work Box 

Razor-Blade Knives 

Bird-Houses 

Bird Feeding Shelters 

Nesting-Material Racks 

Bird-Baths 

Fish-Pools 

Garden Seats 

Trellises 

Plant-Sticks 

Bean-Poles 

Seed Flats 

Plant Shields 

Plant-Forcers 

Plant Hanging-Baskets 

Window Plant-Boxes 


Garden Dibbles 
Garden Markers 
Tomato-Racks 
Concrete Lawn-Rollers 
Doll Furniture 
Doll-Houses 
Toy Garages 
Toy Hangers 
Toy Boats 
Toy Wagons 
Toy Automobiles 
Clockwork Toys 
Cork Toys 
Pendulum Toys 
Electric Toys 
Kites 

Model Airplanes 
Scale Model Airplanes 
Ship Models 
Picture Puzzles 
Game Boards 


Cards 
Envelopes 
Letter-Heads 
Fruit-Jar Labels 
Circulars 


Signs 

Mail-Boxes 

Trellises 

Plant-Boxes 

Bird-Houses 

Pet Shelters 

Poultry-houses 


Printing 

Church and School Programs 
Church and School Bulletins 
A Boys^ Paper 
A Village Historjr 

Painting 

Weather-Vanes 

Windmills 

Fences 

Screens 

Toys 

Furniture 


EARNING, SAVING AND SPENDING 459 

Repairing 


Toys 
Furniture 
Baby Carriages 
Electric Heating-Pads 
Electric Heaters 
Electric Grills 
Electric-Iron Cords 
Replacing Broken Drop-Cords, 
Sockets, and Plugs 
Replacing Fuse-Plugs 
Installing New Electric Bells, 
Push-Buttons, and Batteries 
Installing Bell-Transformer 
Renewing Faucet Washers 
Renewing Sash-Cords 
Reglazing Broken Windows 
Toilet Flushing-Tank 


Garden Hose 
Lawn-Mower 
Window Screens 
Door and Window Locks 
Bicycles 
Roller-Skates 
Sharpening Skates 
Sharpening Knives 
Soldering 

Installing Weather-Strips 
Attaching Numbers to Screens 
and Storm-Sash 
Putting Street Numbers Upon 
Houses and Garages 
Rebinding Books 
Cleaning Typewriters 
Operating a Doll Hospital 


Photography 


Developing Making Picture Post-Cards 

Printing Mounting and Lettering Photo 

Photographing Children Prints 

Photographing Pets Making Freak Photographs 

Photographing Houses 

Gardening 


Raising Vegetables 
Raising Flowers 
Whitewashing Trees 
Spraying Trees 
Mowing Lawns 


Watering Lawns 
Picking Fruit 
Weeding Gardens 
Raking Leaves 

Pets 


Caring for Pets During Own- Raising Poultry 
ers^ Vacations Raising Squabs 

Raising Goldfish Bee-Keeping 

Raising Rabbits 


460 


BIG BOOK OF BOYS’ HOBBIES 


Puppet 

Magic 

Magic-Lantern 

Moving-Picture 

Fresh Fruit 
Roasted Peanuts 
Popcorn 

Home-Made Candy 

Hot-Dogs 

Honey 

Maple Sugar and Syrup 
Spring-Water 
Fresh Eggs 


Shows 

Neighborhood Circus 
Pet 

Miniature Shooting-Gallery 
Selling 

Minnow, Worm, and Frog Bait 
Picture Post-Cards 
Automobile Road-Maps 
Old Newspapers, Magazines, 
Rags, and Bottles 
Daily Newspapers 
Magazine Subscriptions 
Stamps for Collections 

Services 


Reporting for Local Newspaper 
Distributing Circulars 
Exchanging Library Books 
Conducting Second-Hand Book 
Exchange 

Conducting Phonograph- 
Record Exchange 
Running Errands 
Taking Baggage to Depot 
Caddying 

Paper and Magazine Route 
Renting Boats 


Erecting Aerials 
Storage Battery Service 
Guarding Automobiles 
Washing Automobiles 
Washing Windows 
Cleaning Basements 
Cleaning Rugs 

Removing Leaves from Roof 
Gutters 

Shovelling Snow 
Tending Furnaces 
Vacation Caretaker 


You will find plans and instructions for making most of 
the things listed under Making Things to Sell,” in this 
and my other handicraft books; also suggestions for many 
of the money-earning ideas under the other group head¬ 
ings. Run through the indexes the next time that you go 
to your public library. 


INDEX 


A 

Acetone, 46 
Adhesives, 44 
Aerial, A Radio, 134 
Aeronautics Scrapbook, 37 
A-Frame Model Airplane, 73 
Air Motor, 193 

Airplane, An I n d 00 r-Duration 
Model, 59; A Twin-Pusher 
Model, 72; A Profile-Fuselage 
Model, 84; A Low-Wing Model, 
95; A Scale Model, 106; A Con¬ 
test Scale Model, 107; A “ Spirit 
of St. Louis” Scale Model, 109; 
A Curtiss Army Hawk Scale 
Model, 112; A Ford Tri-Motor 
Scale Model, 119 
Airplane Dope, 46 
Airplane Model League of America, 
The, 4; 108 

Airplane Pushmobile, 327 
Airplane Tools, Model, 44 
Airplane Weather-Vane, 198 
Airport, A Model, 346 
Airport Beacon, A Model, 352 
Air-Spinner, 379 

American Bird-House League, The, 

4 

Answer-Dial Cards, 411 
Aquarium, A Cracker-Box, 217 
Aquarium Castle, 222 
Aquarium Cement, 219 
Arrester, A Lightning-, 138 
Attic Room, 20 

Automatic Steering for Model 
Yacht, 171 

Automobile Cabinet, 284 

B 

Back-Yard Railroading, 333 
Back-Yard Shacks, 294 
Back-Yard Zoo, 246 
Balsa, 47 


Bamboo, 47; Shaping, 50 

Banana Oil, 46 

Bar, A Horizontal, 418 

Bar, A Trapeze, 414 

Barrel-Stave Skis, 148 

Barrel-Stave Sled, 146 

Bars, Parallel, 422 

Base for Ship Model, 132 

Batten Door, 264; 297 

Beacon, A Toy Electric, 351 

Bean-Blow-Gun, 369 

Bearing, Propeller, 48; 49; 66; 75; 

89; 90; lOI 
Bearings, 195; 196 
Bench, A Home-Made Work-, 9; 

A Packing-Box Work-, 14 
Bench-Stop, 14 
Bench Vise, ii 

Bird-Bath, A Tree-Stump, 233; A 
Rustic, 235; A Stone, 239 
Bird-Baths and A Fish-Pool, 233 
Bird-House, A Wren, 225; A Blue¬ 
bird, 226; A Wren or Bluebird, 
229 

Bird-Houses to Sell, 229 
Bird Nesting Material Depot, 231 
Bird-Sanctuary, 224 
Birds, A Winter Feeder for, 141 
Blow-Gun, A Bean-, 369 
Bluebird House, 226; 229 
Boat, A Model Sail, 163; A Model 
Motor, 177 

Boat, A Sharpie Outboard Motor, 
269 

Book-Nooks and Whatnots, 429 
Book-Rack, An Extension, 430 
Book-Tower, A Modernistic, 440 
Bowl, A Dog’s, 244 
Bowsprit, 130 
Box Furniture, 298 
Box-Girder Bridge, A Model, 339 
Boy Craftsman League, The, 4; 
108 


461 


462 


INDEX 


Boy Scout Museum, 208 
Braking Device, A Pushmobile, 324 
Bridge, A Model Railroad, 337; A 
Concrete, 337; A Different De¬ 
sign of, 339; A Box Girder, 339; 
A Steel, 341; A Trussed, 341 
Bridle, 191 
Bulkheads, 127 
Bunks, 312 

C 

Cab, A Dump-Truck Pushmobile, 

324 

Cabin, A Model Airplane, 93; 105; 
A Model Motor-Boat, 183; An 
Airplane Pushmobile, 332 
Cabinet, A Built-In, 23; A Speci¬ 
men, 214; An Automobile, 284; 
A Trek Cart, 286; A Pier, 445 
Cage, An Exhibition, 248; A Nest¬ 
ing Material, 232 
Campfire Crane, 284 
Campfire Pothooks, 284 
Cannon, A Ship Model, 130 
Canoe, A Canvas, 277 
Canoe Headlight, 2^ 

Cans, 75; 90; 102 

Canvas Canoe, 277 

Card-Index, 214 

Carving a Hull, 165; 178 

Carving Propellers, 69 

Castle for Aquarium, 222 

Cave with Secret Entrance, 303 

Cells, Conyne Kite, 190 

Cement Castle, An Aquarium, 222 

Checker Men, 404 

Checker-Solitaire Board, 403 

Chest, A Treasure, 31 

Chest Handles, 35 

Chicken Coop, 252 

Chicken House, 257 

Clips, Wing, 67; 91; 102 

Clock, Quiz, 407 

Closets, Storage, 21 

Club, A Hobby, i 

Club-House, 294 

Club Library, 4 

Clubroom, 3; Furnishing A, 19; An 
Attic, 20 

Club Workshop, 3 


Cockpit, 281 

Coconut Wren Hut, 225 
Coin Collection, 209 
Collection, A Stamp, 208; A Coin, 
209; A Knot, 211; A Rock and 
Mineral, 212; A Shell, 212; A 
Leaf, 213; An Insect, 213; A 
Photograph, 213 

Concrete Base for Aerial Mast, 

137 

Concrete Model-Bridgt, 337 
Concrete Lake, 337 
Concrete Pool, 235 
Concrete Water Bowl, 244 
Contest, A Model Airplane, 53 
Contest Model Airplane Models, 
107 

Conyne Kite, 188 
Coop, A Chicken, 250; 252 
Court, A Table Tennis, 397 
Covering A Canvas Canoe, 280 
Covering A Kite, 191 
Covers, Home-Made Scrapbook, 39 
Cracker-Box Aquarium, 217 
Crane, A Campfire, 284 
Creek, A Model, 337 
Cupboards, Work-Bench, 16 
Curtain, A Puppet Theater, 389 
Curtiss Army Hawk Scale Model 
Airplane, 113 

Cylinders, Airplane Weather-Vane, 
202; Locomotive Pushmobile, 318; 
Airplane Pushmobile Motor, 330. 

D 

Dancing Puppet, 382 
Depot, A Nesting-Material, 231; An 
Electric Railroad, 343 
Dihedral, 62; 77 
Dog House, 240; A Barrel, 243 
Doors, Cabinet, 24 
Dope, Airplane, 46 
Dravy^ers, Cabinet, 216 
Drilling Holes Through Paper, 41 
Driving-Rods, 318 
Drop, A Puppet Theater Prosce¬ 
nium, 390; A Back, 391 
Droppings-Board, 266 
Drying-Reel, A Fishing-Line, 286 
Dumping Hoist, 326 


I 


INDEX 


463 


Dump-Truck Pushmobile, 321 
Duration-Model Airplane, An In¬ 
door, 59 


E 

Earning, Saving and Spending, 454 
Easel, A Ring-Toss Target, 401 
Edison and His Boyhood Hobbies, 
Thomas A, 455 

Egg-Beater Propeller Winder, 81 
Electric Beacon, A Toy, 351 
Electric Shooting-Gallery, A Toy, 
357 

Elevator, A Model Airplane, 77; 
112; An Airplane Weather-Vane, 
200 

Empennage, 64 
Eye-Splice, 416 


F 

Fan-Blades, Air Motor, 196 
Feeder for Birds, A Winter, 141 
Feeding-Hens Toy, 374 
Files, Box, 26 
File Scrapbook, 43 
Fin, A Model Airplane, 65; 88; 
100; 112; Airplane Pushmobile, 

329 

Fish Aquarium, 217 
Fishing-Line Drying Reel, 286 
Fish-Pond, 235 

Fittings, Model Airplane Metal, 48 
Fixtures, Poultry, 265 
Flasher, A Toy Beacon, 355 
Flat-Bottomed Boat, 269 
Flying Line, A Kite, 191 
Flying Rings, 417 
Food-Containers, Poultry, 266 
Footstool, 451 

Ford Tri-Motor Scale Model Air¬ 
plane, 119 
Frames, Picture, 29 
Freight-House, A Model, 368 
Furniture, Box, 298 
Fuselage, A Model Airplane, 87; 
97; 109; 116; 119; An Airplane 
Weather-Vane, 199; An Airplane 
Pushmobile, 329 


G 

Galleon Ship Model, 124 
Game Equipment, 30 
Garden, A Water, 235 
Gardening, 459 

Girders, Model Bridge, 340; 341 
Gold-Fish Aquarium, 217 
Grinding Skates, Hollow-, 154 
Ground-Wire, 138 
Gun, Bean-Blow-, 369 
Gunwales, Canoe, 278 
Gunwales, Flat-Bottomed Boat, 275 
Gymnasium Apparatus, 413 


H 

Handles, Chest, 35 
Hanger, 90; 102 
Harbor Beacon, A Play, 352 
Headlight, A Canoe, 289; A Loco¬ 
motive Pushmobile, 319 
Hens Toy, The Feeding-, 374 
Hinges, Double-Acting, 28 
Hobby Club, i 
Hockey-Stick, An Ice, 152 
Hollow-Grinding Skates, 154 
Hood, 324 

Hook, A Motor, 66; 90; 102; An 
S-, 67; 80; 90; 102 
Horizontal Bar, 418 
House, A Club, 294; A Poultry, 257 
Houses, Bird, 224 

Hull, A Model Yacht, 165; A 
Model Motor-Boat, 178 
Hull, A Ship Model, 125 
Hut, A Wren, 225; 229 
Hutch, An Emergency, 247; A Rab¬ 
bit, 248; A Convertible Coop or, 
250 

I 

Ice-Hockey Stick, 152 
Ice Skatemobile, 144 
Index, Card, 214 
Index for Scrapbook, 43 
Indoor-Duration Model Airplane, 
59 

Insect Collection, 213 
Insulation, Aerial, 138; Shack, 302 


464 


INDEX 


J 

Japanese Tissue-Paper, 47 

K 

Keel, A Model Yacht, 169; A Flat- 
Bottomed Boat, 274 
Kennel, 240; A Barrel, 243 
Kite-Line Reel, 192 
Kites, A Great Rig In, 188 
Kits, Model Airplane Material, 53; 

Model Yacht, 164 
Knife, A Razor-Blade, 51 
Knot-Board, 211 

L 

Ladder for Shack, 301 
Lake Model, 335 

Landing-Gear, A Model Airplane, 
49; 50; 91; 103; 112; An Air¬ 
plane Weather-Vane, 203; An 
Airplane Pushmobile, 331 
Lanterns, Ship Model, 129 
Launching Model Airplanes, 71; 82 
Lead-In, An Aerial, 138 
Leaf Collection, 213 
Letter-File Scrapbook, 43 
Library, A Hobby Club, 4 
Life-Preserver Vest, 281 
Lightning-Arrester, An Aerial, 138 
Lock, A Secret, 31; 34 
Locomotive Pushmobile, 315 
Longerons, 73 

Low-Wing Model Airplane, 95 

M 

Making Things to Sell, 457 
Mast, A Model Yacht, 130; An 
Aerial, 135 

Material-Kits, Model Airplane, 53 
Mats, Gymnasium, 425 
Metal Fittings, Model Airplane, 
48; 66; 75; 89; loi 
Mineral Collection, 212 
Model, A Galleon Ship, 124 
Model Airplane, An Indoor Dura¬ 
tion, 59; A Twin Pusher Model, 
72; A Profile-Fuselage Model, 
84; A Low-Wing Model, 95; A 
Scale Model, 106; A Contest 


Scale Model, 107; A “Spirit of 
St. l^uis ” Scale Model, 109; A 
Curtiss Army Hawk Scale Model, 
112; A Ford Tri-Motor Scale 
Model, 119 

Model Airplane Tools, 44 
Model Airplane Tournaments, 53 
Model Airport, 346 
Model Creek, 337 

Modeling A Snow Totem-Pole, 156 
Model Lake, 335 
Model Rocky Mountain, 334 
Model Station for Electric Rail¬ 
road, 364 

Model Village, 334 
Model Yacht, 163 

Model Yacht Racing Association of 
America, The, 164 
Mold, A Sharpie, 272 
Molds, Canoe, 278 
Motor, An Air, 193; A Toy Elec¬ 
tric, 184 

Motor-Base, A Model Airplane, 64; 
86; 96 

Motor-Boat, A Model, 177 
Motor-Hook, 66; 90; 102 
Motors, Model Airplane, 52; 70; 

80; 92; 105 
Mountain Model, 344 
Museum, 206 
Mi^ic-Wire, 48 

N 

National Amateur Press Associa¬ 
tion, The, 4 
Nest-Boxes, 266 
Nesting-Material Depot, 231 
Notebook Covers, Scrapbook, 38 

O 

Oar Repairs, 290 

Ogden Park Model Yacht Club, 
The, 164 

Orange-Crate in Camp, 284 
Outboard Motor-Boat, A Sharpie, 
269 

P 

Paddle, A Canoe, 281 
Paddle Repairs, 290 


INDEX 


465 


Painting, 27; 35; 130; 143; 146; 
172; 187; 204; 221; 229; 232; 

243; 244; 266; 275; 280; 303; 

314; 320; 332; 341; 356; 363; 

367; 373; 374; 384; 401; 410; 

411; 425; 430; 435; 438; 439 j 

440; 444; 451; 453 
Papering Model Airplanes, 47; 63; 

65; 88; 99 
Parallel-Bars, 422 
Passe Partout Frame, 2II 
Patrol Shacks, 294; 299 
Pendulum Toy, The Feeding-Hens, 
374 

Periscope, A Play, 309 
Pets, 459 

Photograph Album, 214 
Photograph Collection, 213 
Photography, 459 
Picture-Frames, 29 
Pier-Cabinet, 445 
Piers, Model Bridge, 340 
Pipe-Support, 204 
Planting Water Garden, 239 
Plays, Puppet, 395 
Poles, Model Telegraph, 345 
Pond, A Fish, 235 
Pothooks, 284 
Poultry Fixtures, 265 
Poultry House, 257 
Power-House, A Model, 368 
Printing, 458 

Profile-Fuselage Model Airplane, 
84; A lyOW-Wing, 95 
Propeller, A Model Airplane, 68; 
79; 92; 104; A Model Motor- 
Boat, 184; An Airplane Weather- 
Vane, 201 

Propeller Shaft, 67; 79; 90; 102 
Propeller Winder, 81 
Properties, Puppet Theater, 390 
Proscenium, Puppet Theater, 388 
Proscenium Drop, 390 
Pulley, Wooden, 359 
Pullman, A Pushmobile, 320 
Puppet, A Dancing, 382 
Puppet Plays, 395 
Puppets for Puppet Theater, 392 
Puppet Theater, 386 
Pusher Model Airplane, 72 


Pushmobile, The Wabash Limited, 
315; A Dump-Trufk, 321; An 
Airplane, 327 

Q 

Question Cards, 411 
Quiz Clock, 407 

R 

Rabbit-Hutch, 247; 248; 250 
Rabbit Targets, Toy, 360 
Rack, An Extension Book-, 430; 
A Wall-, 432; Another Wall-, 
435 

Rackets, Table-Tennis, 399 
Radio, Installing A, 134 
Radio Broadcasting Station, A 
Model, 346 

Railroad Bridge, A Model, 337; A 
Concrete, 337; A Different De¬ 
sign of, 339; A Box Girder, 339; 
A Steel, 341 

Railroad Depot, A Model, 343 
Railroading, Back-Yard, 333 
Railroad Station, A Model, 364 
Railroad Tunnel, 343 
Razor-Blade Knife, 51 
Reel, A Kite-Line, 192; A Fishing- 
Line Drying, 286 

Regattas, Rules for Model Yacht, 

173 

Repairing, 459 
Ribbands, Canoe, 278 
Ribs, Model Airplane, 62; 87; 99 
Rigging a Model Yacht, 171 
Rigging a Ship Model, 130 
Rings, Flying, 417 
Ring-Toss Targets, 400 
Rock Collection, 212 
Rocky Mountain Model, 334 
Room, Furnishing Your, 19; An 
Attic, 20; An Interesting, 29 
Roosts, 265 

Rubber-Strand Motors, 52; 70; 80; 
92; 105 

Rudder, A Model Airplane, 65; 88; 
100; 112; A Model Yacht, 169; 
A Model Motor-Boat, 185; An 
Airplane Weather-Vane, 200; An 
Airplane Pushmobile, 329 


466 


INDEX 


Runners, Sled, 147; 148 
Runways, 249; 256; 265 
Rustic Bird-Baths, 235 

s 

Sail, A Skate, 149 

Sailing With Skate Sail, 151 

Sails, Galleon Ship Model, 130; 

Model Yacht, 171 
Sanctuary, A Bird, 224 
Saving, 454 

Scale Model Airplanes^, 106 
Scenery, Model, 346; Puppet The¬ 
ater, 390 

Scouting Scrapbook, 38 
Scrapbooks, 37 
Scratch-Shed, 257 
Screen, A Folding, 27 
Seat, A Window, 21 
Seats, Boat, 275 
Secret Doorways, 307 
Selling, 460 
Services, 460 
Shacks, 294 

Shaft, Propeller, 67; 79; 90; 102 
Sharpie Outboard Motor-Boat, 269 
Shelf for Models, 23 
Shell Collection, 212 
Shelves, Cabinet, 24 
Shield, A Snowball, 158 
Ship-Model, A Galleon, 124 
Shock-Absorbers, 92; 104 
S-Hook, 67; 80; 90; 102 
Shooting-Gallery, A Toy Electric, 
357 

Shop Equipment, 17 
Shows, 460 

Shutters, Window, 298 

Skatemobile, An Ice, 144 

Skate-Sail, 149 

Skates, Hollow-Grinding, 154 

Skid, A Tail-, 203 

Skis, Barrel-Stave, 148 

Sled, A Barrel-Stave, 146 

Snowball Shield, 158 

Snow Totem-Pole, 156 

Solitaire-Board, 403 

Spars, Model Airplane, 62; 87; 98; 

Model Yacht, 170 
Specimen-Cabinet, 214 


Sppding, 454 ^ 

Spinner, An Air, 379 
Spinner-Cap, An Airplane Weathef- 
Vane, 201 

Spirit of St. Eouls Scale Model 
Airplane, 109 

Splice, An Eye-, 416; An Oar-Han¬ 
dle, 290 

Sports Equipment, Winter, 144 
Sports Scrapbook, 38 
Stabilizer, A Model Airplane, 64; 
88; 99; 112; 116; An Airplane 
Pushmobile, 331. 

Stage, A Puppet Theater, 388 
Stage-Eighting, Puppet Theater, 
^ 395 ^ 

Stage-Settings, 390 

Stamp Collection, 208 

Stand, A Model Motor-Boat, 187 

Station, A Model Railroad, 364 

Steering, Automatic, 171 

Stop, A Bench, 14 

Striking-Bag Platform, 425 

Struts, Model Airplane, 50 

Superstructure, A Ship Model's, 127 

S'wivel Base, 204 

T 

Table-Tennis, 397 

Tail, A Model Airplane, 64; 88; 99; 

116; An Air Motor, 197 
Tail-Skid, 104; 204 
Target, A Toy Rabbit, 360; A Ring 
Toss, 400 

Telegraph Line, A Model, 344 
Templets, 168; 180 
Tender, A Pushmobile, 319 
Tennis, Table, 397 
Tent-Pole Pack, 282 
Theater, A Puppet, 386 
Thrust-Washers, 49; 67; 79; 90; 
102 

Tie-Rods, 341 
Ties, Model Bridge, 341 
Tiller, A Model Yacht, 170; A 
Model Motor-Boat, 185 
Tissue-Paper, Japanese, 47 
Tools, Model Airplane, 44 
Totem-Pole, A Snow, 156 
Tournaments, Model Airplane, 53 


INDEX 


467 


Tower, A Toy Beacon, 352; A 
Book-, 440 
Trapeze, 414 
Treasure-Chest, 31 
Trek-Cart Cabinet, 286 
Trestles for Rabbit Hutch, 250 
Tri-Motor Scale Model Airplane, 
119 

Truck Pushmobile, 321 
Trussed Bridge, 341 
Tuning Model Airplanes, 70; 83; 
93 

Tunnel, A Model, 343 
Twin-Pusher Model Airplane, 72 

V 

Ventilator, A Kennel, 242; A Rab¬ 
bit Hutch, 251; A Cave, 307 
Vest, A Life-Preserver, 281 
Village Model, 334 
Vise, A Bench, ii; 17 

W 

Wabash Limited Pushmobile, 315 
Wallboard, 20 
Wall-Rack, 432; 435 
Washers, Thrust, 49; 67; 79; 90; 
102 

Wash-In, 63; 87 
Wash-Tub Lake, 335 
Waste-Basket and A Footstool, A 
449 

Water-Bowl, A Dog’s, 244 
Water Garden, 235 


Waterproofing a Boat, 276 
Weather-Vane, An Airplane, 198 
Whatnot, A Comer, 437 
Wheels, Model Airplane, 91; 104 
Winder, A Propeller, 81 
Windmill, 193; 198 
Window-Seat, 21 

Windows, Model Airplane, 93; 105; 

119; Ship Model, 129 
Window-Shutters, 298 
Wing, Model Airplane, 60; 75; 87; 
98; 109; 116; 122; Airplane 

Weather-Vane, 199; Airplane 
Pushmobile, 330 
Wing-Clips, 67; 91; 102 
Winter Feeder for Birds, 141 
Winter-Sports Equipment, 144 
Woods and Water Ideas, 282 
Work-Bench, A Home-Made, 9; A 
Packing-Box, 14 

Workshop, A Club, 3; A Model- 
Making, 8; An Outside, 8; A 
Garage, 8; A Porch, 9; Name for 
Your, 17; Equipment for A, 17 
Wren-Hut, 225; 229 

Y 

Yacht, A Model, 163 
Yacht Regattas, Model, 173 
Yards, 130 
Yoke, 75 

Z 

Zoo, A Back-Yard, 246 





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